Subject To Consummation
by Wicked R
Summary: Elizabeth is curious how far Jack'd go to bed her. A sort of AU DMC. Includes the sequel, Family Law.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Subject To Consummation  
Disclaimers: I don't own any pirate/ship and I don't wish to.  
Genre: romance

Rating: PG for a little smut, not too much.  
Summary/Set: Elizabeth is curious how far Jack'd go to bed her. A sort of AU DMC.

Pairing: Sparrabeth

"You know..." Jack cleared his throat sitting by Elizabeth on the wooden steps on the Pearl, "Lizzie...I am captain of a ship. And being captain of a ship, I could in fact perform a marriage. Right here. Right on this deck. Right now!"

Elizabeth giggled. It was maybe the effect of the little rum she consumed when Jack offered earlier, but more likely the pathetic deceiving game Jack was trying to play with her. He only offered to marry her to make her believe he would and mellow her heart towards him that way. He thinks he's safe, he's sure she'd say no. Would be funny to see how fast he'd backtrack if she showed any inclination to wed him, so she decided to have a laugh on his expense. "Should I take that as a proposal, Jack Sparrow?"

"Uhm, no," he shook his head, "this be improper! I'm no doing it right, I know luv." With a gesture of having sacrificed something very dear to him he set the rum bottle down the stairs and slid down in front of her till he was sort of leaning on one knee and still sitting with half a bottom, where he stalled drunkenly, holding up all his fingers close to his eyes and checking them as they moved one by one. No. Those rings were most likely a tad too big for her, even the Spanish one, its one rightful owner, the widow was more of a mature woman. Other than that, they had sentimental, and other values. Oh, yes, he's got just the right thing to surprise Lizzie with. It was an expensive piece, but since there was no chance she'd accept it anyway, he could offer it. He jumped up and without one word or further acknowledgment of his companions' existence he disappeared down the stairs.

Well, that was quick, Elizabeth frowned confused, a lot quicker than she was expecting to scare him away. She felt a little hurt by that actually, it didn't just damage her self esteem, she had been looking forward to another of those enjoyable banters with Jack she got so accustomed to during their times together. But of course she'll not let anyone know of her disappointment. She sighed, it was warm, and leaned back, trying to find something else to do than brood on Jack's erratic behavior. Seeing movement up by the main mast, she craned her neck to observe the pirates working on the rigging, there was so much more she could learn about seafaring. She found it semi-distracting, so she stood up to get a better view. Sideways by the railing she hang onto a rope a little unbalanced, not even noticing she was mimicking Jack's airy gestures. Willing herself to concentrate on the sails being pulled in to fill with wind, she didn't notice Jack coming up from behind her either and his voice sounded from somewhere very close to her ears. It took her some self control not to jump.

"So ye can't say a pirate doesn't know the comme il faut ways to propose a marriage..." He lengthened the last word in an inviting and serious manner, making her turn to face him with a smile on her face. She was happily back to the game, but had to step back mazed when she saw what he was holding stretched out towards her in his hand in a small black box. Whatever it was and whatever it was for, it was stunning. 

Jack assumed she was not very familiar with solitaire jewelery. A governor's daughter would know about schmuck, but a pirate would know better. Besides, he wanted to show off. She doesn't have to find ou that's the same engagement ring he stole from Norrington, one the ex commodore never had the chance to offer to her. That the ex officer was on board and could maybe spot it, didn't bother him. Everything was really his on this ship. "A tenth carat diamond ring illusion-set in a square setting to enhance its beauty, with tapered shoulders, crafted in 9ct white gold," he said solemnly, with only a glint in his eyes giving the only non serious aspect to his appearance.

Now who was playing with who? "What's this all about?" 

"It was me mam's."

"It looks pretty new, unworn. We both know it wasn't your mother's, but that doesn't surprise me and I'd better not ask where it comes from, that wasn't the question."

"As I said, why wait when we could be together tonight."

"Why would I want that?"

"Well, why not?"

"A woman would like to hear some reasons for marrying anyone," Elizabeth teased on, playing her game of seeing how far'd Jack go to try to lead her on in a conversation like this.

"I love you."

It was said with Jack's most serious voice he could muster, but Elizabeth shook her head, "Jack, Jack, did I say before you were crazy? How do you think I'd fall for that?"

"I'm mad about ye darlin, don't ye see? Ye strike me so much I can't hold back, I can't take being close to to ye and not hold ye. Wenches I met may have figures, may have tongues, but none a spirit like yers. So sad it makes me watching ye wif the whelp. Ye can sail the seven seas fe the rest of yer life and ye will never find a man as first-rate as me. And ye wanna be like me."

Did she really hear a certain amount of hurting seep through his irate tone? No, no, she couldn't have, she can't fall for it now when she said she wouldn't. Enough of this game, before she's the one making herself look ridiculous. "What? Without a sense of honor, and decency and-and a moral center. And personal hygiene? No, thank you." She edged away so she could gather her thoughts. Could he mean what he'd said or it was all deceiving?

"Yer going to wed me one day."

"When did I behave as if I even liked you?"

"Ye might no, but ye love everything I am, everything I represent just the way I'm in love wif ye fe yerself."

He loves her? He just asked her to marry him? With ring and everything? It wasn't what she was expecting at the beginning when the bantering started. Question still stood though, what would Jack do if she'd say yes?

Tbc


	2. Kindred

Chapter 2: Kindred

"Accept it Lizzie," Jack continued, "the main reason ye came out here after Will's that ye wanted to sail wif me. Not as if ye could ever go back to yer old life, same as our ex commodore can't and I'm the reason fe both!" He said cheerfully as if it was something to be proud of.

God, Jack was pathetic at this trying to convince her they belonged together. Maybe he needed some help, "I love freedom, I'd love to live a life where I could make my own choices and I'll marry a man who'll let me do so."

"The whelp has this distorted notion of trying to make it in society. In society! Where there are all these rules that bind! Do ye love him as much as yer freedom Lizzie Swann? Or is it freedom ye love more?"

She had to admit, if they were all honest, it would be freedom. "And you'd give your wife such freedom while loving her at the same time."

"Only if that's what she wants. Cause that's what love be, me darlin, ye be aware of that? Tell me ye'll be the wife of a blacksmith, bound to the business, tied down by his children and the little money he earns in honest ways."

The conversation got more serious than she thought, he was pointing out those things she ignored to think about. Will'd been the most interesting and romantic thing to her that tempted her since she met him. Now as an adult she encountered the real thing, the object of those temptations was tangible and stood next to her in the form of Jack Sparrow. Yet she grew up with Will, even if her emotions were misplaced then, she couldn't deny their existence. Love didn't have anything to do with well-founded choices. She loved Will, didn't she? Then how on earth could she not get the compass to point at him? Good thing Jack didn't know which direction it was swinging lately any time she opened it, he'd be in charge of this game. Time to take it into her own hands as she intended. "I could, you know, marry you if you promise me we'll save Will anyway." It was obvious Jack had some sort of a different agenda, she could use his hankering to her advantage.

Jack reeled back a little and blinked as if in slow motion. But was his face showing more than astonishment? Was his face showing happiness?

"What was tha?" He put a finger in one of his ears to clear it.

"Yes, I'll marry you," Elizabeth said tauntingly as she leaned close to him, almost brushing against his chest. The ship bounced on the waves and she had to steady herself not to crash full force into him and put a hand out. Onto his chest. He felt warm, his heart beating wildly in there. Was he panicking? Was he anxious to advance? Happy even to marry her by some minuscule chance?

Master of deceit himself, he contemplated whether she was pulling his leg. Most likely, but till she showed her true colors he'd take advantage of the situation. He raised his arms to encircle her and held her for a moment, just glad he let her, he didn't have the privilege since Port Royal. He stroke her back gently as his first daring action, careful not to scare her away, then moved one hand up to lift her chin and slowly neared his lips to hers. So much self containment, it wasn't his style. His hands traveled down to her breasts, "show ye freedom, so I can."

Of course. She did know it was going to come to that. "You offered me a ring first?" She looked deeply into the dazzled dark pools that were his eyes so she could figure out what his reaction was to the question before he himself could.

Jack sported the most absurd smile, his real thoughts were impossible to tell. About that ring. She can wear it if she wants to for a while, sure, but not here where Norrington could see it. "We should continue in me cabin me luv, Gibbs there at the helm be looking suspiciously at yer unwed self seducin meself."

She peered up, it was true. "I'll go first, you should come a few minutes later not to raise suspicions." She whispered to him. Appearances. Maybe there were some of society's rules she couldn't get rid of herself at the drop of a hat. But she should start conquering her inhibitions by going along with Jack, even if in secret.

"With pleasure me luv," he replied, his voice sounding deeper and more impatient than usual. 

tbc 


	3. Waste

Chapter 3: Waste

He did wait a couple of minutes before he marched off after her, but he didn't trust she wouldn't change her mind and didn't postpone it any longer. Going by the same analogy he immediately sat down close to her on his bed where he found her and turned her towards himself. From the sagging of her shoulders, her disposition seemed to have ebbed a little and something needed to be done immediately. He'll show her how a man kisses a woman, nothing like a hesitating unexperienced whelp.

She remained unresponsive as he made light contact with her lips, but when he followed the call of his hunger for her and tried to deepen the kiss, she parted her lips willingly. Encouraged, he slid closer, she on turn put her arms around him. She could taste the salt and the rum, along with something definitely masculine and lusciously carnal. Her own keen reaction scared her, with Will she was playing, trying out new things, but never before felt such urge to ignore the rules about not having intimate relations with him before the wedding bells. Her face rosy, she took a deep, slow breath and dragged herself away.

Jack, on the other hand, took a hissing breath at her move, it was as if his air supply would've been cut off from him all of a sudden. Propelled by the vexing need to kiss her again he leaned towards her, but she jumped out his way and over to the table. He stood to follow her, but stopped short, she was looking him straight in the eyes angrily, some strong emotion had made her eyes look darker too. Jack groaned, frustrated, "ye playin Captain Jack Sparrow? Ye be mocking to get to the rum and burn it all?" Not now, when I've tasted ye. It felt like the inside of her mouth was just a prequel to more intimate regions.

As if answering his thoughts, she shook her head apologetically, "I only want my husband to ever touch me in that manner," she said and she meant it.

"Need is a better word than want in some circumstances, luv," and he was husky from that need, "but very well," Jack pulled the box with the ring out his pocket again angrily. Not as if pirates were forced to honor binds like a marriage or anything else in fact. He certainly wasn't going to let anyone come between him and his momentary pleasures. He gave out a little uncomfortable groan and then started, "in the name of the father, the son and of the Holy Spirit, with this ring, I, Jack Raymundo Sparrow, thee wed, Lizzie Swann" which he quickly slipped onto the finger of a rather shocked and a little confused Elizabeth, "I hate being predictable," he explained off hand, then continued the vows, "with this ring I promise to love and honor ye in good times and in bad." They weren't exactly the right words, he hasn't attended many weddings in his time, but it will do. It was his status as a captain and the ring that counted, "do ye, Elizabeth Swann take this man standing in front of you to be yer lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold through sickness and through health, for richer and for poorer, to love and to cherish till death do ye part?"

Elizabeth looked at the ring on her wedding finger. Will could never give her one of those. Not that it mattered anyway. It was the call of the ocean she could see out the porthole, the promise to live through adventure, something different than run of the mill townfolks' life, before time ran out in their short human existence. There was even the promise to heal her aching soul that longed for another world. She was a pirate anyway, condemned by law as such. "I do." It's not as if those simple words would've meant much. A marriage was not considered a binding contract until and unless it has been consummated all the way. Until she'd slept with Jack Sparrow with all that entailed, they couldn't consider it completion.

Jack grinned at her. He was somewhat surprised, but the potential of what might happen between them was much more interesting than the whys. He kissed her finger with the ring, then his mouth moved slowly upwards, till he reached her neck.

Elizabeth closed her eyes. It would've been so heavenly if she could just forget who she was and the unfortunate circumstances of their encounters. She wouldn't let him go too far though, she promised herself. This is just so she could see how it could be if she was with him. His lips moved to the top of her chest and started undoing both their belts, he was obviously skilled at the derobing and providing pleasure at the same time. Thank God, she didn't mind running her hands over his bare chest and arms. She surrendered and arched backwards so he could cover more ground. She melted into the passionate embrace and didn't even notice that she was scarcely dressed herself when he lifted her onto the top of the blanket in his bed. As he was kneeling above her she kissed his belly and her tongue darted in and out his belly button. She knew she was loosing her grip as her head was spinning, but he kept offering more and more, her hands could roam over where else they always would've wanted to go, she was only stopping to marvel at the sight, his waistline, buttocks, thighs and what was that hard and slippery weapon she just had the privilege to...

"Land, Captain! We're getting a longboat..." Gibbs burst into the cabin, but soon stalled. Miss Swann was lying on her back in Jack's bed, groping for his manhood and the captain was coming down on top of her to follow the contours of her naked body with his, kissing her shoulders...!

tbc


	4. Nurture

Chapter 4: Nurture

"Please wait!" Gibbs was stopped from backtracking from the awkward situation by a desperate voice as Elizabeth grabbed her clothes and pulled them in front of her as a sort of cover, instead of putting them on.

The first mate turned back hesitantly, eyes averted to the floor. Why does she want him to stay? She certainly didn't look as if in trouble, attacked, and one thing for certain she sure as shooting didn't want him to join in.

"You have to tell him!" Elizabeth nudged Jack, who sat onto the side of his bed, more bothered with nurturing his aching arousal, than being naked or anything else.

"Tell him what?" Jack managed to get himself together so much as to look for his effects first, rather than the clothes. In order of importance, hat, jar of dirt, compass, cutlass, gun.

"That we're married!" Elizabeth said frantically, but as if it was the most normal thing in the world. No way could an old acquaintance of her father's like Mr. Gibbs think she would be sleeping around in debauched ways like this.

"Oh, aye," Jack's head snapped up as if he just remembered it, "due to the little ceremony I conducted here earlier I have to make some introductions." He bowed in front of her on the way of putting his hat on the right place, "this is Mr. Gibbs...I mean, Joshamee, this is Lizzie Sparrow, me wife, Lizzie, curtsy, Lizzie, this is Mr. Gibbs, or ye already know that cause I said so jest there..."

Gibbs looked wide eyed, as if his eyelids would've lost the capability of blinking even. Therefore he didn't comment on the finding, he simply continued with what he came in for, "I've ordered Pintel and Ragetti to the oars if that's all right wif ye." Then he was finally able to dangle out the door, leaving the two get dressed and pulled his rum flask out in astonishment. Whatever had occurred changing the normal way of things and overthrown the universe, a drink should sort it.

"Ye can't possibly wear that outside, the crew'd see it and they'd steal it," Jack pulled the ring off her finger just as quickly as he'd put it on not so long ago and stashed it away the same place it always was, in the mattress. It wasn't just Norrington, but in essence it'd be nice to keep it for his next proposal to whoever.

Elizabeth shrugged. It was better that way, not everyone would know that she was daft enough to accept a marriage offer from the infamous captain, even if it was only a game she played. If anyone would ever ask, if Will would ever find out she can just say that according to the rules of her religion, that marriage was invalid as long as it wasn't consummated. She can just forget about this silly afternoon. She was still certain Jack'd not mention it to anyone either, ever again, he didn't even want to tell Gibbs when she was so embarrassed. Jack wasn't the marrying type, that's for sure.

"Ding dang dong! Ding dang dong!" Mr. Cotton's parrot came down on Elizabeth's shoulder to croak into her ears.

"Congratulations on your wedding!" Marty gave his hand, "I'm so happy fe ye, I got married meself once..." So much on keeping it a secret! In normal circumstances she would've asked him what happened to his wife, but she had more urgent things to do, like dealing with the way James was looking at her. Something between upset and I told you so.

Gibbs pulled Jack to the side, "the crew's stunned, captain, to say the least, and wants some rum to lessen the impact of the surprisal?"

"Uhum," Jack waved him off, a bit discontented himself with the turn of events and such hullabaloo over him trying to bed the wench. He climbed over to get to the longboat without one more word, which Gibbs took as a yes. They'd be having good fun till Jack was on land.

"I wonder captain," Pintel started, "would it not be nice if ye did that ceremony fe me and Ragetti one day?"

Jack gave him a look, he couldn't be bother with the two of them now, so it was Ragetti who answered, "no place'd recognize union between two men, you know that."

"It'd be dainty, just fe us, we'd recognize. Avast, mate! Yer pulling too fast!"

"That's because yer spending yer time talking!" Ragetti answered back. Fine couple they were.

tbc


	5. Tally

Chapter 5: Tally

"Everything you said to me... every word, was a lie!" Elizabeth accused Jack after Will appeared on Isla de Cruces as well and let them know of his latest adventures on the Dutchman and most importantly, who was to blame for him being there at all.

"Not as much as you were lying to Turner," Norrington piped in, not being able to hold back after the blow of having seen Elizabeth with the pirate and how they ravished each other with their eyes, "and maybe a little to me, but that doesn't matter cause, hey, I'm not your fiance anymore..."

"What is he talking about?" Will glanced at Elizabeth.

"Not now! I'll tell you about it later," Elizabeth was trying to get out the situation.

"Don't tell me you're still kidding yourself on about who you're in love with," Norrington rolled his eyes, "spit it out already."

"May I?" Jack offered seeing Elizabeth's reluctance. He had no inclinations to give up his freedom for the sake of a wife, or even admitting he had one, but he was obviously happy to dig at Will, especially that he needed to get back his advantage over him, now that he could be blamed for the whelp's disappearance. Besides, it was time to open Lizzie's eyes to the fact that she wasn't all too innocent either. "Yer lookin at a married couple here!"

Will looked at Norrington at first, maybe Elizabeth promised him to marry him again for some noble reason of saving somebody's life. But the ex commodore didn't look all that happy. It was Jack who was grinning a little cautiously, and pointed at him and Elizabeth repeatedly. "Sorry there was no time fe invites being sent out, cause I can assure ye, ye'd be one of the first to get one, along with our dear decommissioned naval officer here..."

"Will, I can explain everything!" Elizabeth said desperately and put a hand on Will's arm.

"Really?" Will said with some sarcastic voice Jack would've been proud of if it came out his mouth, "there's nothing to explain about a marriage. I know what a marriage is, it's about spending the rest of your lives together on the basis that you love each other!" He shook his head as if to get rid of some image in his mind, "how could you Elizabeth? I'm maybe not best with my timing, but you know how much I love you. You are my heart, my life, how could you disregard our past? Our stolen touches, glances? How could you betray me like this?"

"She's a pirate mate," Jack explained, "savvy?" To which Will drew his sword, pointing it at Jack.

"Sorry to break up this little family reunion with domestics going on, but I need this chest now, and I need the key." Norrington advanced, similarly with a sword.

tbc


	6. Connected

Chapter 6: Connected

"Norrington took it to draw them off." Elizabeth explained the chest's whereabouts to Will, who was just regaining consciousness on the board of the Pearl. She tried to help him up.

Will shrugged her off violently with an abrupt, quick gesture. "don't you dare touch me," he whispered threateningly, "don't ever touch me again!"

"I'm sorry, Will, please...Jack sorta persuaded me..."

"Persuaded? How does he have that much power over you?"

Elizabeth averted her eyes, mortified by the fact she couldn't really bring up anything to her own defense. She'd never admitted to anyone how drawn she felt to Jack, least of all to herself, but now it was all out in the open all of a sudden. Whether she confirmed it or not, it was obvious. Will was right, there was nothing to explain.

The blacksmith simply nodded in sad understanding, "yes, precisely! That's just how I thought. Now you should go see your husband," he dismissed her, "the great captain seems very white-lipped and unmanly over there, holding that jar like that. I need to work on some promises to fulfill, cause I am a man of my word, unlike you. From now on, we're enemies," he said hotheadedly.

"Fine," Elizabeth replied coldly, but just as hotheadedly under the surface, then stomped off after Jack as asked. If that's what Will wanted, she could be with Jack, if that's what Will wanted she could be properly married to Jack, all she needed for that is to sleep with him.

Her more or less legitimate husband was in his room with his jar of dirt a little too tightly clutched to his chest right enough. Pretty much in the way of her attacking him and claiming him. "We're not finished," she growled, approaching quickly and alarmingly.

Jack put a palm up to stop her advances, but his wrist of the same hand was still attached to the jar. He didn't know what exactly she wanted, argue, or continue their love making. The answer was the same though. "It's a lil frantic around here, luv, fe that." He wasn't sure what scared him more, the consummation of their marriage, or the Kraken.

Ignoring his plea, Elizabeth circled him and hugged him from the back, since his front side was busy, then lay her head on his shoulder. "Take me Jack. Take away my fears we're not supposed to be..."

His name on her lips full of want, rashness and warmths at the same time like nobody else would utter it, her breath tickling his ears, her body leaning onto and blending with his as if they were missing parts of the same puzzle. How could he say no? His mind did scream no, but his body had other ideas. He sat the jar down on the table and turned in her embrace. She had hunted eyes and so did he. Yet his didn't seem to feel important at this moment in time. She just lost her childhood friend, every baring she had in a life in the beau monde and she was as much as branded a pirate even though she didn't chose it so. A situation strangely familiar and if he didn't have Tia Dalma to guide him back then, he didn't know how he would've fared. She needed solace and he was going to give it to her, heck, he would give anything to her just to make her smile. But if so, what's this hesitation about the consummation? He stroked her beautiful face and she noticed gold was shimmering in his eyes now also.

Then he leaned in to kiss her. All of a sudden his motions were slow, he wanted to savor her and for her to remember this occasion as the most beautiful in her life. He took her softly by the hand and led her to the bed. Not even the Kraken would halt them from completion this time.

tbc


	7. Roleplay

thanks everyone for the lovely reviews!

Chapter 7: Roleplay

Jack climbed on the bed, half sat on his ankles and pulled her down with him. He stroke a hand over her thighs, his thumbs circling at the same time, then stopped midway down to her most intimate part. His rings in view reminded him of hers and he pulled Norrington's ring out again. There was no more reason to hide it, with the ex commodore gone. "I want ye to wear it. Always. This crew'll not steal from the captain. Uhm, unless it's the whole ship they want," he laughed, then pulled close for another unhurried kiss. He could feel her shaking enclosed in his arms and hoped it was more because of desire than fear. He had to make her forget it was her first time. "I love ye Lizzie." He breathed out and his chest hurt when he truly admitted it for the first time and not just said it to please her.

He hugged her back, "I love ye, Jack." She said it as if in trance, instinctively mimicking him, the way he spoke, contradictory to the anxious anticipation that took hold of her body. She held on to the sentence to calm herself and followed his lead for a deeper kiss. She suddenly became eager, wanting to get to at least the same bit where they were interrupted at by Gibbs earlier that day. Her hands traveled down to rid him of his clothing and her mouth followed them up with licks and nibbles. She moaned in anticipation when she reached his trousers, his need was visible through the fabric, hers evident in her eyes.

He knelt up to help her remove the last item of his clothing, then stood in that position towering over her to that she could enjoy the sight of his member. It never occurred to him it would maybe scare her that she possibly has never had the chance to take a good look at one of those before, no wench had ever complained about his manhood in the past.

She took a deep breath and tilted her head, she wanted to marvel at the unusual sight from all angles. Last time she was too rash moving in to touch it immediately, more by mistake than anything else. So this was the most precious valuable a man could have. Smooth, strong, inviting, she imagined you had to be Captain Jack Sparrow with something as dominating as that.

Jack's eyes and hands were exploring her breasts at the same time. He'd always wondered about them, stole glances to how they were squeezed together and stuck out when she wore a corset, or simply a dress, the way they were bouncing under the shirt after she started wearing man's clothes. He was finally allowed to unravel the mystery, slid her clothes off her shoulders and lowered his mouth onto them. They weren't too large, he didn't like those, his nose'd get lost in them, and they weren't too little either, just round and flawless, like the rest of her body he slowly uncovered. He weakened at the touch, it was only his breath that tickled her as he closed his eyes diminished in the face of his own powerful lust for her. His manhood was almost bursting and he hasn't even been inside her. His mouth twitched, his breathing quickened, his eyes couldn't serve their purpose of seeing anymore as they were crazed from savage desire. He remembered though that he needed to hold himself back as she was unfamiliar with what was supposed to happen. He was a teacher here, not a pillager. He looked up at her face, she stared back at him with warm and somewhat naive eyes. There was no fearfulness in them, but at the same time her naivety prompted him not to do anything harsh.

They resorted to an innocent embrace once more, yet it felt so different with both of them naked, intimate parts sliding and pressing against each other. Accordingly, their subsequent kiss was braver than the ones before, longer, more brazen, more investigative.

She's been breathless from having been kissed before, only never this hot, not this venturous, not as needy. It must've been the pirate way.

He broke for air, she remained with her head tilted back, her mouth open, her eyes closed, ready and waiting to be taken. With a palm under her low back he raised her hips up, then slowly entered her, not moving yet till he was sure he wasn't hurting her.

She grabbed for his shoulder, momentarily startled by the slight pain she was feeling, but mostly taken by the unfamiliar, yet comfortable wetness that she knew somehow came from her.

"Everything all right," Jack assured her, while stroking her kitty from the outside. She soon slipped further into unfamiliar territory as quiet sounds of strange pleasures hit her senses while Jack was still moving just as slowly inside her, it was only his breathing that quickened till he collapsed above her with a large grin on his face.

"The Flying Dutchman!" Gibbs did know better not to barge in without knocking after his last fiasco, but it was an emergency, there was no time.

"I can handle it, mate!" Jack collected his hat and jar of dirt again before his clothes. Elizabeth needed a bit of shaking to reality as she was just lying there beaming, locked in the pleasures of the last few moments.

tbc


	8. Wobble

Chapter 8: Wobble

"It'll go for the starboard," Will explained to everyone how the Kraken attacks, "I've seen it before. Break out the cannons and hold for my signal," he stormed off in some direction all too importantly.

Jack frowned. The whelp was taking control of his ship as if it was his. No matter though, cause from the Kraken, there was no escape for any vessel, once it had its tentacles over it. He was only thankful Davvy Jones has given him enough time to show his most tender side to Lizzie, enough time so he can call her his forever, regardless of how long this unfortunate forever might be. He held her back from following Will and pulled her behind him. He cut off a boat with his cutlass and pushed Elizabeth into it. The Kraken and Will was busy with each other, it was now or never if they wanted to get away.

"We can't just leave them," Elizabeth protested.

"There's no time to give an order to abandon ship. Yer Will doomed them with the fight. There won't be any boats left intact after the Kraken's allowed a proper grip. I've seen it all too, believe me! Row!" He started doing so himself, "we just have to hope they'll jump. The beastie'll not get them one by one, it's after me," he tried to ease her doubts, then put all his effort into the oars. The next while passed in a blur, literally after the sweat from his brow dripped into his eyes. There was canon fire in the distance and uncanny groans, then they could see a half baked plan in action, Will was trying to lure the Kraken close and then blow the gunpowder up. It could've worked, but nobody seemed to be able to shoot the right time.

Jack stopped in his tracks at the ship being crushed and going down. Plan remained the same though. If he had Davvy Jones' heart, everything became possible. Even the Pearl raised, again.

"We left them to die," Elizabeth pointed her own actions out incredulously.

"Not so much. Ye underappreciate Gibbs," he pointed towards a head in the water, and there were others behind him. The way their little boat was drifting, the survivors should reach them soon.

"Will?" It was Elizabeth's first question as the ex first mate of a non existing ship climbed in next to them.

"He fell behind," Gibbs heaved.

Elizabeth paled, her head bowed in shame. In her current situation where she didn't have to row in any direction, she became fully aware of what had happened. She had panicked, disregarded other human lives and now Will was the one who had to suffer. A sickening sensation weighed inside her, she was almost physically sick. Her remorse eating her must've been transparent as Jack put an arm around her. His fingers slid into the hair on her shoulders. Now that Lizzie was his entirely, he didn't have to fear the eunuch, or even his return. If that what would make her happy, that's what they'll do, bring the boy back. "We have to defeat Davvy Jones, luv. He can give us anything and anyone back, we jest have to ask. Tia Dalma will help us. When it's done, I promise ye, we will have a fullfilled life together," he encouraged her. He pulled one of her hands to his chest and the pressure on her hand as he squeezed connected her to a world where she wasn't alone with her feelings anymore.

"It will be all right. Not right away, but it will be," he nodded, his voice calm and gave her a kiss to her cheek. He didn't feel like reminding her Will has escaped Davvy Jones once already cause that would've meant reminding her that he was the one who sent Will to the Dutchman.

Elizabeth humphed and forced herself out her wretchedness to speak, "do you even have any experience with things going right lately?" For some reason, she believed every word he said though.

"Not much. Jest things concerning one word, us." She looked at him trustingly and pulled closer to him. Despite herself, a hint of smile flashed up in her eyes as concern and devastation turned into hope by his side. She was surprised by the comfort his sheer presence gave her, but she wasn't going to argue with it. She laid her head to the side of his for a moment and let him caress her back, then like a trustworthy crewmember, she raised the oars again, and got to work along with the rest of them.

The End (of the AU DMC and consequently, of my fic)


	9. Epilogue

Epilogue/Title: Family Law 

Disclaimers: I don't own any pirate/ship and I don't wish to.  
Genre: romance

Rating: PG for a little smut/torture, not too much.  
Summary/Set: Starts out as an AU AWE. Jack needs a final decision from Elizabeth. Him or Will?

Pairing: Sparrabeth, Willabeth, references to Jack/Tia Dalma.

Stealing a ship has never posed any difficulties for Jack Sparrow. Giving them back seemed a pain in the ass though. Therefore, the only reason when Jack was shipless was that he couldn't be bothered with the commandeering of a ship, looking for a crew and keeping them under control, unless it was to do with the Pearl. Under present circumstances staying on land seemed to be a great idea, but then again, he'd never get the Black Pearl back. His beloved ship was taken down by the Kraken with Will Turner on board and since her most likely current location would be Davy Jones' locker, a journey to world's end was imminent in his mind. He had offered Elizabeth to help her free Will from the locker, but what he was really after was the ship. It will not be hard continuing to deceive her that he's doing everything for her. And thank God for the Kraken as it chased their longboat into the nearest port and scared all crewmembers on all ships docking to retreat to the fort. Thus every ship was there for the taking, including the Escapade, a three masted, square rigged frigate with thirty canons, that some other pirate must've captured from the Navy. Now they had the means to a world's end, all they needed were the charts to that end. Jack shuffled his feet, standing by the curtain that separated Tia Dalma's living areas from the little bit in her house she used for cooking, storing potions and whatever else. Although the witch was kindly offering to make them some drinks against the cold and the sorrow some might've felt for lost crewmembers, Jack thought it was best if he'd kept an eye on what Tia Dalma would put in their teas, especially as she didn't look all that delighted with the new developments.

However, Jack couldn't figure it out she was unhappy about him marrying Elizabeth, Will's disappearance, whom she'd previously foreseen with a great future and was proved apparently wrong, or both.

And then there was the other woman in his company he was unsure of, although he didn't quite dare to scrutinize her as openly as he had taken stock of his old witch lover. His wife. He knew what was wrong, he knew why she shied away from his attempts at intimacy, put all her efforts in reaching their destination. His ring no longer on her finger in case she lost such value, over the few days that it took then to reach Tia Dalma's hut, she had come to wonder about her questionable union with Jack that directly or undirectly has resulted in a suicide mission of her first love, and consequently, his death. Consummation of her marriage? Ridiculous. What marriage? She seemed to have forgotten about a major ingredient of a wedding, witnesses! What's more, she was betting on the fact, that Jack hasn't forgotten that at the time, and therefore she was no better than any other whore he had, it was just he had to go a longer length to lead her on and bed her. Even if she wanted him to admit to the ceremony that took place between them, no court of law or church will accept that charade as a binding act. Upset for more reasons than one, she hardly noticed the steaming cup extended to her by Tia Dalma.

"Somebody or something has changed the way things were supposed to happen...man are dangerous when betrayed by love! Will Turner had a touch of destiny about him that's gone fe now," she drawled, "something that needs put right! So Jack Sparrow, ye here ta do me bidding?" She asked him mockingly, well aware of everybody's hind reasons. But then again, her and Jack were doing things for each other to the benefit of them both since he was a little boy. "Ye ready to be brave captain and make Davvy Jones more mad by rescuing one of his prisoners? Hmm?"

"That's what we came fe," Jack raised his cup a little to accentuate his intentions, "all we need be a map. Can't be more scary than Isla Esqueletica," he referred to one of their earlier adventures together on a prehistoric land.

"I don't have those maps, but I know somebody who does," she nodded her head towards the steps.

"So, tell me, what's become of my ship?" Barbossa bit into his apple, well pleased to see the stunned faces.

Until he looked at Jack and into the barrel of his gun, who was not astounded at all. They were at Tia Dalma's, involved with one of her affairs. Dead people were bound to turn up. He fired. Once and precise.

Barbossa clutched his chest, apple flying till Cotton's parrot caught it. "Again? I feel...stunned," he fell back like a sack of potatoes.

Tia Dalma tilted her head, Jack could've sword her eyes could kill him, "Jack Sparrrow...do ye know how much time it took me to bring him back to life?"

"I thought I knew ye," Jack stepped next to the body, "ye and Hector," he shuddered, "yuck." Then he picked up the charts that slid out from under Barbossa's armpit when he fell, "this be what we need I believe."

"He needs ta live, he didn't pass on his piece of eight," Tia Dalma scolded.

"Oh, if that's the trouble," he stepped over to Ragetti, but then thought better of it and stepped back and wagged a finger at him instead, "ye scare me, but we need ye. And yer eye," he held out his hand for it, but then though better of it again and motioned Gibbs to do so. He got hold of Gibb's wrist instead and used his first mate's palm as a plate to carry the round object over to Elizabeth. "I present ye Lizzie Sparrow, pirate lord of the Caspian?" He looked at Tia Dalma questioningly. After all, he didn't want to upset the witch too much.

"But Jack...I've never been to the Caspian," Elizabeth protested.

"So? Neither's been Hector."

Tia Dalma squinted, "explain pirate lordship to yer lass later Jack. We need to leave at once. Do ye possess a ship?"

tbc


	10. Green Light

Chapter 2: Green Light

The light was vivid, a very vivid green, an unnatural bright green that defied description and it was lasting quite a while. It felt as if the Escapade would've been right under it the whole time, yet nothing would happen. How could they float into the phenomenon the locals called Northern Lights, manifestations of spirits beings from higher realms, when they were sailing on the seas and not flying like a bird? Surely they could try to blow a canon into it, or...

"When the merry dancers play, they are likely to slay," Gibbs finished his story about the dead warriors around their ceremonial fire up there in the sky and how they come down on women to seduce them in the absence on their husbands. He said if they would be singing about the light, it would descend upon them by itself and kill them all. Even if true, not the way to go. Personally Jack thought it was the most beautiful display of color that a man could ever experience, as good as standing high above by the top of the mast over the azure Caribbean reefs.

That was it! He just had to leave the ship behind, he'll find the Pearl after the the green flash that will take him through a whole to the other side, in Davvy Jones' locker anyway. Once when in Singapore he saw these people with umbrella like large objects fly down from towers during circus-type stunts arranged to entertain guests at court ceremonials. So he ordered one of the spare sails to be brought out, rolled up the way it was and began to feverishly tie ropes to it in a particular fashion, with the others watching wearily. There wasn't much time left. They'd seen it all before, lived through it and remained floating under the occurrence, without a chance getting inside it. The pattern was always the same. First a vague light appeared in view, far north in the night sky, green and red flames of light stretched across the horizon. During the next while, there was a bright curtain of green and it was flaring and whirling around him as he was climbing up abeam with the spare sail in his hand. The lights were dancing wildly, a few moments and they could fade away, the dark night closing around them. If his haunch was right, that'd be the moment they could cross over, or lose their chance again.

He glanced back down once more before jumping into the cold northern wind. The crew was still at a loss about what he was up to and as he expected, his daring Lizzie was the only one who was climbing after him.

The bold emotion that engulfed her grew with every ladder step she took. Unspoken questions were in her eyes as well, but they were overshadowed by the adventurer's sparkles, only matched in his own eyes and the brightening green band of lights around them, rippling faster and faster.

He waited for her, even though the curtains of light were passing directly overhead. Jack watched it, getting lost a little in swirl of the enormous wheels above him, only to be shaken back to reality and the job at hand by two smooth palms cornering his waist. He looked at Elizabeth for confirmation, was she really ready to jump off into the unknown with him, not withstanding the fact they hardly shared a word with each other the whole journey to Iceland, let alone a cabin.

She nodded at him nevertheless, there was determination, a little deviltry and apprehension in her features, but right there and then, no regret. It was what she chose him for, nobody else could provide her with such a venturesome, exciting life he could.

Jack secured a rope around both their hips to keep them together, not breaking eye contact with her. She had no idea when he stepped off the mast to be carried away, up to the sky, full of color and motion.

Similarly, neither of them was aware that down on the deck, Tia Dalma cried out and hit the deck, falling to her side half on a crate, the same time as there was a green flash up the sky and the pirate couple disappeared with their parachute, just like the aurora.

The witches' eyes clouded, her mouth foamed, her body shivered, nobody was brave enough to touch her. In fact, they stood back, apart from Ragetti, who was curious enough to squat by her and eye her from close.

She closed her eyes and lay motionless for a while, hardly breathing, making the others surround her in curiosity as well. Then she suddenly screamed out, "David!"

Cotton's parrot flew off somewhere on the horizon screeching in terror for the time being, crewmembers hid whereever they could, most of them starting to pile up behind Gibbs for protection as in Jack's absence he was first in command. The consequence of which was that Gibbs got pushed forward and tripped over Barbossa's monkey, still among the crew.

Tia Dalma however, didn't mind any of them. She started pacing up and down midship, as if talking to herself, "it was what I was afraid of. A man, who felt the same as Davy Jones, betrayed by his love, he could challenge Davy Jones! In the locker they were both dead, equal disadvantages, equal advantages," she waggled her fingers calculating, "there, even a man with no heart can be sent on to the next pit of hell by someone who's just like him."

"She had a vision about Will Turner," Ragetti supplied, cleverly figuring out the connection. He was good at riddles, especially if it was about the dichotomy of good and evil."Davy Jones is gone, Will Turner's the new Davy Jones."

"That he is, it's done," Tia Dalma agreed, "but not the way Will Turner was supposed to be. Evil will surface upon ya, doubled by heart ache, doubled in sorrow, it will raise to consume the lands, it will find ya and ye'll not be around anymore to tell the tale!"

"Uhm, excuse me for asking," Marty dared, "but what are you doing up on the railing?" He was looking for some clues to save themselves from this new evil and if Tia Dalma had them they'll follow.

"Davy Jones be in the city of Dis, down below the locker in the seventh circle of hell. If I go after him there, he'll maybe...forgive. Come what may," she jumped into the icy cold water and disappeared, much to the dismay and discombobulation of all who saw it.

Tbc


	11. Bridge Over Troubled Water

Family Law Chapter 3: Bridge Over Troubled Water

The flash of bright green light taking them to the other side blinded Jack and Elizabeth. It was so bright, she had to hide her face in the hollow of his shoulder.

Jack was squinting furiously. They have most likely reached their destination and the locker was no place to go blindfolded. Or they were still over the icy waters of the Arctic. Either way, he urgently needed to get a look at the view. It felt like forever and a day till the light receded, or more likely, his eyes got used to the brightness. Before them was the same colorful and animated skyline as before, but no ship in sight, in fact no sea whatsoever. They were seemingly flying high above the most beautiful green countryside with meadows, flowers and low lying trees. Could it be the locker? Jack looked towards the horizon and all he could see what the same flat, greenish land. If this was the locker, what was the trick? Where's the Pearl and the punishment and the torturing of souls?

The same moment as he thought about this, they heard a snap from above and neither of them had to look to know that the sail that held them up in the wind has been ripped. Jack was thankful though that Elizabeth hasn't been that curios to want to find out what damaged their parachute. As they'd flown further over into this land, the green phenomenon started to disappear, but in a way that sent shivers down his spine, more so, than their imminent descent. The swirls above him became smaller and took the shape of humans and half bodily manifestations all sorts of creatures floating through the gateway of limbo, just like Gibbs had described it. It was the claw of a firedrake that ripped the sail and Jack couldn't take his eyes off the mythical creatures he knew if he was lucky he'd never see again.

Elizabeth's scream however, brought him back to reality or as much of a reality that existed in Davy Jones' locker. He hadn't even noticed they were not so far from the ground now. With most of the sail unusable, they were practically plummeting like a stone.

Elizabeth closed her eyes. She had no idea how you could die in the land of the dead, but then again, it might've been possible. Suffering was highly possible anyway. She heard Jack mutter, "bloody hells," in her ear before they hit the ground with a jolty impact, scattered a bit further from each other.

Notwithstanding, she was quite surprised to find herself able to think and react and utilize the ways Will had once taught her, how to leap and roll if she had to jump in the middle of a fight. With the last roll, she remained standing, feeling amazingly little pain. That wasn't that bad, was it? Relieved, but still skittish, she emitted some nervous giggles and was again surprised that nobody joined in with the laughing. Where was Jack? She looked around in suspicion and confusion to discover Jack lying on his back pretty much at the same place they've landed. His expression was deadly blank and apart from blood trickling down the side of his face and making his dreadlocks wet, there was no movement from his direction, he was unconscious for sure.

She rushed to put her palm around his other cheek and stroked it, "no Jack, wake up!"

His bandana seemed to be ripped too, he must've hurt the side of his head. She wanted to see it, but if she took the headband off, would that not make the wound bleed more? Her own indecision and the hopelessness of the moment started to really enervate her, "this can't be happening!" She protested as she finally pulled the red clothing accessory off and tied it back on his head in a way that held the wound a bit more together. "It wasn't supposed to be like this." They came to get Will, not add casualties and grief to what already was a sad turn of events. She was never meant to put Will in the circumstances he ended up in, she never really wanted to marry Jack when she was thinking sane and if she did anyway, they were supposed to pop in here and leave quickly and triumphantly, just like she had imagined it in her dreams, just like it was the case with every enterprise Captain Jack Sparrow took on. But instead of that she had to take on the task of trying to figure out where else was he injured, which wasn't that easy if she didn't want to hurt him even more. His side was certainly bruised, his shirt torn, a lot more than her clothes. All those cuts needed to be tended to and washed. He needed to be taken off the muddy ground. The marshy ground, it registered with her for the first time. Her feet sunk into it up till her ankles, mud was coming up Jack's sides.

She looked around in exasperation, the landscape seemed the same everywhere. "Will? Where are you?" Jack needed help, maybe Will would know by now what was what in this strange land.

With nobody answering, she had to search herself for some place they were safer. She stood up to see better and then she heard a hissing sound. A very familiar sound, one she heard when the Kraken took down the Pearl. She swirled around into the direction of the occurrence and there it was, lying on one of its many sides, idly scratching itself with its tentacles as if this was the place it came to sleep between attacks. Would the Kraken know they are one of the ones who escaped it and not already dead? The question was imminent, as the Kraken also lazily turned its head towards the movement it saw from the corner of its eye, Elizabeth's rushed twirl.

Tbc


	12. Thunder

Family Law

Chapter 4: Thunder

Elizabeth found the creature oddly facinating in full sight. Face to face with the Kraken with nowhere to run, a strange calmness took over her as she sized up her adversary. So huge, it didn't actually fit into her field of vision, the giant squid could've squashed anything just by sitting on it.

The creature pushed itself forward using its tentacles as support, the arms and tentacles came in pairs. However, the beastie only came closer a few inches and Elizabeth immediately realized why. Perhaps that behemoth body could move faster if it wanted to, but a marshlike terrain didn't have the advantages of the water easing off some of the weight's pull, nowhere near it.

Elizabeth on the other hand, could run away. If she was right and it was her movements that attracted the beast's attention to her, Jack wasn't in danger, he wasn't moving at all, or no more in danger than he already was having fallen down from the skies like that. It was all her fault, expecting Jack to come here with her into a trap for her Will. She will have to take off, save herself and distract the Kraken away from Jack at the same time.

As if tilting its head to the side, the Kraken was watching her curiously. She, as a knowing person could've recognized the female specimen from her enlarged glands, came here to have peace, none of the noncorporeal beings stuck here caused much interference as they were almost completely engulfed by their own hallucinations. Except of course for Sam, the fiddler, a simple man, who didn't have so many facets of his personality and therefore couldn't be bothered by his alteregos all the time. The Kraken enjoyed his company. During the few decades they've spent together in the locker, Sam, a musician at heart had learned how to communicate with the animal, using the vibrations of his fiddle, something similar to the hammer Davy Jones used to summon the Kraken from great distances.

This time, the being in front of the Kraken was a fully flesh and blood human though, just as alive as she was. Treat she certainly wasn't to an enormous creature like her, but perhaps more company? She shouldn't scare the human away, let her come round just the way she did with Sam. Perhaps it'd be easier if Sam was about? She gave out a loud, but low frequency snort, one that could be heard by humans, her customary call for Sam. More like a soft, short melody than anything else.

Elizabeth checked around warily, without taking her eyes off the beastie either. She had head similar sounds when dolphins were calling out for each other. Could there be more Krakens? It would be a good time to flee, before the other one arrived. However, she remained mesmerized by the expression in the huge eyes she could see her own reflection in too. There was certainly a sparkle of intelligence in there, although there was no indication the creature would've recognized her or kept any score on who she ever attacked when ordered, out on the open seas.

She raised a tentacle slowly, curling it in and out, tossing it into the mud. The action seemed nonthreatening, even playful, as if for an audience, but Elizabeth didn't want to wait to find out if it was so. She knew too well how those tentacles could dive out in any direction and slam down with tremendous force. 

She spun to take her chance and...she immediately slammed into the chest of another being coming towards her, making her fall down with her back to the beast. 

Tbc 


	13. Possession

Chapter 6: Taking Possession 

Will's dense black magic heart as if fluttered and threatened to burst out of his chest. Since the pouring out of that immense amount of evil substance from in there was a definite possibility, and that with unknown consequences for him, he decidedly needed to put a bottle top on those boiling emotions. Standing by the illusionary doorframe of the illusionary hut his mind created for the sake of deceiving Elizabeth, he hoped averting his eyes from the two people in front of him will be enough to calm himself down. 

Elizabeth Swann, or was it Elizabeth Sparrow more likely, was in the land of the dead, a place designed for punishment. But alive she was not susceptible to the hallucinations of those damned and banished to this spot were, Will had to create illusions for her himself, a chain of unreal events that would lead to her thinking she lost Jack. 

At first Will thought he will make Elizabeth believe Jack slowly died due to his injuries in front of her, but now he didn't think that was the best idea after all. He couldn't bear that look on her face. 

She was scared for his life, for his wellbeing. Having already tended to his wounds as much as she could hours ago, she was still kneeling beside Jack on the clean floor of what looked like a field hut to her. She was holding his hand softly. Her gaze hardly left him either. Other than casting some embarrassed looks towards Will, she seemed to have succumbed to her own little world with the pirate captain, sharply ready to notice any change in his condition. 

Elizabeth was angry with herself. If she wouldn't have expected Jack to prove his love to her by bringing her here, if she could contain her own unruliness and keep her promises to Will to marry him, if she didn't admire pirates from a very early age, if her mother never told her those stories about a man, an adventurer she could never marry, if she was really a Swann and there was no pirate blood flowing in her veins, yes, maybe then she could've acted less hotheaded and influenced by the emotions swinging her from side to side. But whoever or whatever she blamed it on, it all came back to her, she was responsible for the impending disaster. No wonder she could hardly look at Will, it was enough to deal with her own guilt, not see the blame in his eyes as well. She desperately squeezed Jack's hand. They had to build another chute, fly back the same way they came before something else went wrong. But how could they build something that would hold three people, one of them being a dead weight and where was anything high they could jump off from, to be blown further by the wind after that? Maybe they'll have to find another way. Only Will hasn't found one for so long and herself, she thought herself incapable of logical thinking. If she didn't listen to his heartbeat several times just to make sure, she'd be certain Jack was dead. If it was the head injury that caused this unresponsiveness, or something that was deep under the skin and they couldn't see, he might never wake up. 

"Your husband's clearly not going to come to any time soon," Will voiced her thoughts as well, but in the hope she'd give up the pointless vigil. Pointless because Jack has already waked up a long time ago and had been wondering about outside, in the locker for quite a while now, it was the Jack illusion that Will had created that was lying there half dead. 

"He's not my husband," Elizabeth stated, "we kind of forgot we should have a witness, so legally, no."

"But it doesn't really matter whether you're married to him or not, does it?" Will asked the rhetorical question, since he could see the answer in every gesture she made since he took them to the hut. He needed rid of Jack and a seemingly brilliant idea surfaced in his mind. If he could create the illusion of dying Jack, then why not use Davvy Jones?

"A debt to pay, but what a pleasant way." Although the real Davvy Jones was dead for good, the tentacled pirate captain appeared at the other side of where the Jack substitute was lying, accompanied by five of his once crewmembers.

"I've brought many down to the depth, but one to come willingly in this land, unheard of!" The ruler of the seas then appeared to jump back a little and shook his head, "a woman!" His tentacles were twitching disgusted. "What's your purpose here?"

Elizabeth stood to fight, but the blowfish headed pirate and the conch headed pirate blocked her way.

Davvy Jones ignored her, "I'm sorely tempted, but first things first. As interesting as Jack Sparrow's offers had always been, enough is enough. Servitude or locker, all too good for him. The ultimate punishment, aaashes sounds goood."

It was a command that the hammer head shark pirate took as an incentive to take some of the mouldy seaweed off himself and put it on Jack's chest. In a matter of moments the plant covered the whole body, waving like the ocean, then it climbed off the place Jack has been a moment ago, leaving merely ashes. Will did make sure though Elizabeth's view was still mostly blocked though, and it was only after it was done, that he made illusions of the undead pirates go away.

Unbelieving, Elizabeth ventured back to where she was kneeling before, her eyes open wide and trying to take in what she just saw.

Will knew it will be a shock for her, he knew she'll need some strong shoulders to cry on. He concealed his sigh of relief, he was new at this black magic thing, it was hard to keep so many illusions going at the same time. "I know what to make a parachute from. We need to leave before he comes back for you." Will tried to pull Elizabeth away from the meant to be remains of Jack Sparrow. One more illusion to pretend he couldn't just wish himself and anybody else he wanted out the locker and that they needed to fly through the aurora. After that he'll never have to resort to these measures again. As for the real Jack, he was fine well where he was.

Elizabeth didn't care what Will was doing to her. Tears rolling down her face, all she could think of was the fact that her pride never let her tell Jack that she loved him, no matter what, no matter if he didn't and no matter if he tricked her. Now he was gone and he'll never know.

Tbc


	14. Distortion

Chapter 7: Distortion

Jack opened his eyes wearily. If there was any point to be awake in the locker, he hadn't found it yet over the last few days he'd been wandering about in the unchanging landscape. The remains of the sail used to fly them here were gone, along with Elizabeth and he didn't have to guess the culprit either.

Will's first visit was short. On a swollen-headed voice and in as much time as it would've taken Jack to empty a bottle of rum, the ex blacksmith let him know of the developments, that this was Will Turner's locker now, that he had an unsuspecting Elizabeth, and that Jack shouldn't try anything against him. Will was only present as an illusion, playing with Jack's mind from the far Arctic sea, where he'd just arrived in the flesh with Elizabeth.

Standing up in the grassy plain, Jack rubbed his eyes, trying to make out any Will like form all around in the plenteous green vegetation. The only motion he could register was his own black hair being blown in his face by some light breeze. It didn't change much whether he noticed Will coming or not, but at least he had some warning so he could mentally make himself ready for the torturing and the killing him merciless times that the possessed Will Turner subjected him to, for who know how many days in a row now. At first it was only the one image of Will and Jack had really thought it was his end when Will's sword ran through his guts, but he soon realized his injuries would go away when Will disappeared, they were the same way illusionary as Will was. That minuscule fact didn't make Jack suffer less though and Will didn't enjoy it less either.

With time, the current ruler of the seas became more versed in the black magic that took hold of the humanity in him and more and more Wills appeared at a time, so many Jack had lost count.

The imprisoned pirate captain tried to study each representation of Davvy Jones' successor as much as he could. He was hoping to find one of two things that could've worked to his advantage. If he could spot the real Will somewhere, maybe he could've hurt him back. But more importantly, if he could see anything human or merciful about any of them, perhaps there was a change he could reach Will Turner at a level where he could connect with the man he once called whelp. Yes, Jack had tricked him onto the Dutchman, he did fall in love with another man's fiance and he was only thinking about his own and Elizabeth's safety when faced with the Kraken. They were enemies, but he knew it wasn't really the boy who enjoyed punishing him so. He never thought it'll ever be possible to get Will Turner back from he pull of evil, he did remind himself at times though of the man Will once was.

Thankfully, the encounters never lasted long. The many manifestations of the immortal would vanish again until Will, who was pretending to be an ordinary man in the real world, would have some time to himself away from Elizabeth, when his mind could travel back into the locker, just for some extra special tortment time with Jack.

He should've known there was no mileage in trying to spot Will. Everything was pointless in the locker. Cause this time the illusion appeared right in front of him without any warning and immediately punched him in the face. Hitting back, that would've been a waste of his energy too, he couldn't discomfit the manifestation of a magic trick. He rubbed his jaw idly instead. There was only one Will this time, which usually meant talk.

"I want you to remember next time that Elizabeth's mine."

"There's a next time?" Jack simulated perking up at the prospect, although his voice was hoarse from non use and the lack of rum, "that's good news mate."

The illusion held out his hand for a dagger to be conjured up and didn't even have to make a move to plant it into the pirate captain's shoulder. Again.

Jack's head was spinning. Could Will ever get fed up with the same routine? He thought as he allowed himself down on his knees to get a grip on that reeling motion. Again. He couldn't have lost all that much blood in total as his injuries healed over quickly as if they were illusions themselves, but he hadn't eaten anything during his whole time there in the locker. With a stomach gnawing like that, who would notice a knife in the shoulder?

"I could send you to the ultimate death you know." Will stated.

"Would serve ye no good. She'd tasted freedom, she was given the chance to choose for herself, that'll all she'd want now."

"And who was so adamant and disrespectful of the bonds of an engagement to show her such freedom? A man I sprung from jail and stolen right from the hands of a hangman, risking my own neck!"

"Let us examine that claim for a moment, former law abiding citizen, shall we? Who was it that through circumstances made Lizzie hold the first pirate treasure she ever lay eyes upon? Who was it who encouraged her to say no to her father and the fiance proposed by him? Who was it she fell in love with calling him a pirate even though he was only a blacksmith back then? Who was it that showed her freedom then?"

Will clenched his fists, knowing Jack was right, in some ways anyway. Elizabeth didn't even needed to be shown how to be a free spirit, that was why she'd loved him as well, if she ever loved him at all and it wasn't the idea of freedom she was in love with. Not the less reason however to conjure up another dagger for one of Jack's thighs as well. "I propose a deal," he hissed through clenched teeth, "that or a fate worse than death. I'll let you back into the land of the living if you make Elizabeth believe you're unworthy of her love. Can not be that hard, cause you are, aren't you?"

Jack managed a cacophonic, rough laughter through the pain. It didn't seem like it was going all that well with Lizzie for the eunuch, otherwise he wouldn't need his help. "And ye really think that would end yer suffering, do ye?"

"Think about the offer, it's the best you're going to get." Will disappeared along with all the illusionary physical pain he was causing Jack.

Not that far in the distance, the Kraken looked on as Jack tried to get himself together taking big breaths. She'll not show herself to the prisoner, she only came here to rest again. She seemed to have needed a lot of that, but it didn't surprise her, she was pregnant. Whenever that happened, Davvy Jones would kill off all her offspring so he could control the only Kraken in the seas, afraid of what if there were more than one. She didn't want to find out what her new master would do with her babies. Given the treatment given to his captives in the locker, the prospects of that didn't look all that good. Thankfully, Will Turner didn't know her very well at all and her beasties will come as a complete surprise for him. That, and the fact that the little ones will need to be fed right after they are born. If only she had some allies. Tbc. If only she had some allies.

Tbc


	15. Royal Court

Chapter 8: Royal Court

The vast room was filled with people. It looked a lot like a cross between a conference and a throne room, only those present seemed way disorderly for it to have been either. They had been waiting for the remaining members of the Brethren Court to arrive for hours, some for days. So that time wasn't waisted, dozens of pirates were now lying on the floor drunk and those who kept up the pace brought in some belly dancers from somewhere to entertain the crowd.

Sitting a little higher from them, Captain Teague occupied the golden and plush red throne chair as if it would've been his. The pirates didn't have a king, it was his word that counted the most. Innerly nervous about the absence of his son, he was twirling the neck of a bottle of rum between his long fingers. Barbossa and Jack missing. That'd be just like it, wouldn't it? Those two could well be locked in some epic battle of their own until Judgment Day and trumpets sounded, and forget about such trivial matters as a court meeting. Having no choice in the matter, Teague found satisfactory for a long while just to scrutinize those gathered, some he didn't know and had to take stock of, and then there were all those new sailors who were simply thrilled to be able to set foot at a historic place like this. However, matters couldn't be postponed any longer. He motioned towards one of the pirate lords, Chevalle, one of his old friends, to start proceedings.

Capitaine Chevalle, who'd been eager to get this meeting over himself for quite a while, fired his pistol a few times in the air for attention and stood, "issued summoned, I convene this the fourth Brethren Court! Confirm your lordship and right to be heard – present now your pieces of eight, my fellow cap'ns."

Captain Eduardo Villanueva, whose Spanish Treasure Fleets Chavalle had raided many times, was ready to oppose, "might I point out that we are still short two pirate lords and I'm as content as a vegetable to wait until they join us."

"We've waited enough on men who'd paid great insult to me in the past," Sao Feng stood as well. It was hard to enjoy himself without the possibility to order more steam.

"I agree," Chevalle used the words of the pirate lord of the South China Sea as a prompt to explain what he wanted to do to a crowd that would quieten down any time the Chinese would rouse to speak. "Therefore we are going to use the incantations described by the first pirate king to magically summon those who are missing. If for some reason they don't want to come, we'll make them appear in the flesh ourselves. It doesn't matter where they are, what they are doing and why they aren't coming."

Villanueva looked unconvinced again, "you just made that up."

"Did I now?" Chevalle retorted, "I call on Captain Teague! Keeper of the Code!"

Teague snorted as he came down to join them, carrying the code, "gathering of artless, beetle headed boar pigs, who call themselves pirates," he muttered, then continued louder, "every pirate lord should come to me to learn the code, when they are made lords!" Then without much ado, he opened the codex and threw the big book onto the table, exactly at the right page he needed. "All the pirate lords present, repeat every line after me." Perhaps he should leave summoning Jack last. Nobody could ever be sure how many of the others would he have to stop from jumping at his son's throat. "Blood of our blood, pirate lord of the Caspian," he shook his head at how slowly his words were echoed, unsatisfied. "the ancient powers should bring ye here

to the only secret place

whose call ye can not evade."

There was laughter from all around and some confused faces, including Captain Teague's, when a young woman appeared, wearing not much more than a nightie.

Withall though, Elizabeth had managed to grab her sword when she felt strange tingles starting to pull her away from next to a sleeping Will. Breathing heavily in her agitation, she pointed her weapon immediately at the first man it found, the older one in front of her.

Teague squinted, not minding the blade at his throat as much than a possible mess up in front of all those pirates. Why would Barbossa pass his piece of eight on to a lass hardly out her mother's lap? But judging from the girl's urgency to cut something, he started, "as the pirate lord of the Caspian, ye were summoned here by the powers possessed by the order of the Brethren to serve the pirate conclave. What's yer name and do ye have yer piece of eight with ye to show fe yer identity?"

tbc


	16. Changes

Chapter 9: Changes

Elizabeth nodded. Jack had taught her some important lessons, and one of them was not to leave your effects behind, even when you are forced to go somewhere merely in your nighties. Under it, she still wore a leather belt and a little bag containing amongst other things a pistol, her piece of eight and a little tube, in case she needed to stay underwater unnoticed. Unfazed by the gathering of pirates, just like she was the very first time she faced Barbossa and his crew, she pulled poor Ragetti's right wooden eye out from under her garment, smiling in remembrance of what faces did both Ragetti and Pintel make when Jack had ordered the tall, skinny man to look for another replacement eye as Elizabeth needed this one for good. It was all she had left of him, memories.

A man with a frilled cravat and some other flamboyant clothing came round and motioned her to put her piece of eight into a bowl that had a few other pieces of junk in it already. He bowed when taking the object off her and introduced himself, "Capitaine Chevalle."

Sumbhajee Angria spat, "you became pirate lord? Just giving the damn title away now."

Elizabeth however ignored him and as graciously as she could under the circumstances, standing there in her undergarment, returned the well-mannered introduction of a man obviously from an aristocratic decent and bowed towards the capitaine herself, "Elizabeth Sparrow." Perhaps they were never legally married, but she felt it sounded more weighty in buccaneer circles than her own name.

"Interesting," Chevalle bowed again in appreciation of the developments, walked over to his first mate and surprised him by dragging his blue coat off him. The Frenchman might've been penniless, but he'd not leave somebody practically naked, especially if she was apparently a lady, as evident from her mannerisms.

"How could you be pirate lord!" Ammand protested as well.

"Take what you can, give nothing back!" Elizabeth answered.

Very uncharacteristically, it took Captain Edward Grant Teague a few moments to find both his voice and his pistol. He did not know no Elizabeth Sparrows, particularly not one who was wearing one of Jack's beads in her hair. Which could only mean one thing. "Where be me son? Where be Jack?" He smiled at her eagerly. If he was right, if Jack had at last finished Barbossa off and handed his former first mate's titles to his wife (?), there might finally be some grandchildren soon.

Elizabeth gasped, really for the first time since she was brought here. Jack's father? If she would've not been put in circumstances where everything was new to her, she could've noticed it. The dark, expressive eyes, the long, black, adorned dreadlocks, similar metal skull rings on his fingers and a demeanor that placed him above all others present. He just met Jack's father, could she tell him he died, that she had seen him turn to ashes? "The locker..." That was all she could manage, her hand going over her finger where she, in remembrance, once more, wore the ring that her almost husband gave her.

Teague suddenly became even more impatient. There was one way of bringing his devil tempting, clown son back even from there, right here, right now, if..."Has he passed on his piece of eight to anyone?"

"No, sir," Elizabeth responded, taking on the hopefulness that she heard in the old man's tone.

Teague raised his voice so everyone could hear, "Jack Sparrow holds one of the nine pieces of eight. He failed to pass it along to a successor before he went to the locker, so we must get him back." Since he knew there might be disagreements, he leafed the codex and slapped his palm down onto a page when he found what he was looking for, "article 176: it should be the duties of any court to bring any missing members back for service. A locker spell will not be as easy as the last one, so I need every lord

to come forward and provide a few drops of their blood in the same bowl as the pieces of eight," he motioned them to the end of the long conference table.

"The only reason I would want Jack Sparrow returned from the Land of the Dead is so I can send him back myself!" Sao Feng protested. Only if he disagreed with the code, there was anarchy that ruled and they couldn't have that. They needed each other's help for what this meeting was adjourned for, the threat of the new captain of the Flying Dutchman to wipe out every pirate that came his way. If only they knew what experience made the immortal hate the entire pirate race!

Tbc


	17. Picture Card

thanks everyone for the reviews!

howlongmustiwait-Elizabeth wasn't wearing the ring for a while because she was feeling guilty about leaving Will, especially that it lead to him ending up in the Locker and also because she realised that her marriage to Jack is not valid since there were no witnesses at the ceremony.

Dia-the sex scene was cut short "from penetration on", because I don't enjoy writing those in detail. as simple as that. sorry.

Chapter 10: Picture Card

Elizabeth couldn't help but follow the row of pirate lords lining up for their palms beings cut, some did it themselves instead, producing the amounts of blood requested by Teague. Mesmerized, she watched Jack's father, who seemed to be in charge around there, blew into the bowl, his lean fingers running along several lines in the codex. He lifted the bowl and mumbled the words he read into it, making the contents emanate some smoke. He seemed to be in a trance, not at all bothered by the fact that he was surrounded by some of the biggest legends in the history of piracy, or well, history, full stop. If he was confident enough to bring Jack back, why shouldn't she? Maybe it didn't matter that Davvy Jones sent him to a more definite death?

She must've been holding her breath back for quite a while as she started to feel lightheaded when the fuzzy outlines of a certain dandy looking pirate came into view. She had only ever mock fainted before, but she was close to the real thing this time. Thankfully, Teague's hand was right there, steading her as he held on to her shoulder from the back. It took him a lot less of his energy to summon his son than he'd anticipated. Which meant he couldn't been dead in the locker. But what foolish venture was he on there alive? He didn't seem stuck in there either, a moment passed only since the spell and he was present. For that simple magic trick of simply summoning him alive, they wouldn't have needed all that blood.

She should've known that if there was a force to bring Jack back it'd reside with pirates, Elizabeth scolded herself. "Jack..." She whispered. Her gaze hungrily wandered over his familiar and beloved features. She didn't need supporting hands anymore, the sight of seeing him alive gave her enough strength to push herself forward to jump into his arms. Only she couldn't. She kept bumping into people who were trying to reach Jack first.

Jack Sparrow squinted wearily. He was right in the middle of talking to an angry, illusionary Will, who suddenly came back to him a moment ago mumbling some curses about empty beds. Jack'd just agreed to what the eunuch was asking, to convince Elizabeth himself he was a bawdy, dog hearted bladder and not upstanding to her expectations as a husband. Anything, to get out the locker. So what was this all of a sudden? Another illusion? He didn't think Will capable of such detail though, the whelp knew nothing about the Brethren Court. So Will let him go then, keeping to their agreement and he was summoned here, a procedure Jack was well familiar with from the times the most interesting reading he could find on their ship as a child, was a heavy book with numbered articles and many fancy words. But before he could even think of whether to keep to his side of the bargain at all, his nose was punched by Sao Feng's fist. Nice change from the knives and kicks in the locker. Around him, there were a bunch of people asking money back and demanding explanations about all sorts of things.

Captain Teague felt like he should take charge once more. "May I remind everyone, why we're here?" The he nodded to Chevalle to continue for him. No king, or the closest thing to king there was in pirate society, the keeper of the code, should exert himself with too much talking.

"Dear fellow lords," Chevalle started his speech, "for centuries, there was Davvy Jones. He was capricious, he'd taken pirate ships down occasionally, according to his volition, but ultimately he was an ally of the Brethren, who helped us bind Calypso. Now, the impossible has transpired. Davvy Jones no longer has a beating heart in any chest. The new captain of the Flying Dutchman is a mysterious man called Will Turner who'd declared war on all of us by ordering his Kraken to bring several of our ships down in every corner of the earth! He has attacked pirate settlements, sunk treasure ships before we could get to them, killed lord Jocard. I demand that we retaliate as one!"

Elizabeth, lost looking into Jack's eyes and imagining the warmth of his lips against hers as he kissed her, became attentive at her surroundings at the sound of that well-known name. Will was with her, not so long ago, but he seemed to have been either deep in thought a lot, and she physically couldn't find him at times either anywhere aboard the Escapade, which for he'd later come up with all sorts of explanations and excuses. It was weird if she thinks about it, but she never did think about it before, she was too sorrowful to think about anything actually. But no, Will would never play her like that. She shook her head. He could never be that evil, even if he'd taken on the position of Davvy Jones and not told her about it.

With the question in her mind now she looked back up at Jack, who nodded at her reluctantly. Not everyday you find out that your ex fiance became a mass murderer.

But how could he know? Elizabeth wondered. Wasn't he dead all along? She seriously needed to have a private conversation with that man. Only if it was just the two of them, reunited, she doubted their minds would contemplate anything to do with talking. She cleaned the glistening tears out the corner of her eyes, they were not caused by the happiness over seeing Jack again, but by the desperation of wanting everybody to be proved wrong. Will was a person who loved and wanted to be loved, not a creature with a thirst for nothing, but violence.

"How can we beat him if we don't know anything about him?" Mistress Ching argued.

"I think we have to ask ourselves if this Will Turner has any connections with Calypso," Ammand suggested.

"If anybody knows anything about Will Turner that we could use to our advantage speak now!" Called Villanueva, looking at the newcomers, Elizabeth and Jack, since it was already clear the rest of them very pretty hazy on the subject.

"A certain Bill Turner we do know of. And you knew him!" Chevalle pointed at Jack.

Tbc


	18. Penning

Chapter 11: Penning

"Why does everything have to do with me?" Jack fidgeted under the scrutiny of the group of pirates, some who had came closer again to gang up on him. He reeled back a little from the rumfilled breaths, what wonder, it was true what people sustained, that if you were not intoxicated yourself you could smell rum on others! Having not experienced that for a long while, he kinda forgot about that. All the more if you were starved, his clenching stomach reminded him. He didn't have time to remember that either since he got back, things kept happening and he was also lost smiling at Elizabeth, but the whiff of alcohol in his nose and down his throat caused an unwelcome reaction in his insides. He needed to eat. Urgently. Thankfully the pirates have thought of such earthly pleasures like indulging themselves as well and brought the means with them.

"Aye, Bootstrap Bill Turner's the key!" Jack declared with a broad hand gesture that made him some room between two pirates and so he slid his way towards the other long table to the side, laded with goodies. "Good man. Good pirate," he continued shaking a chicken leg about before shoving it into his mouth. "And his son Will Turner's obsessed with him." He talked with his mouth full, the pressure from his own insides and that of the others wanting to hear him wouldn't let it happen any other way. "He came to the Caribbean to find his father..." Jack spotted some potato salad and tucked in, drawing out the sentence in an attempt to get closer to the plate. Luckily for him, everyone was too intent on listening to him to bother to stop him. "He sailed to Isla de Muerta to free his father from the curse of the Black Pearl." Why mention Lizzie if he didn't have to? "Then when he found out that Bootstrap was serving aboard the Dutchman, his sole purpose became to free his father from there. He stole the key to the chest and wanted to stab the heart hisself. Naturally, I didn't let him." That was sort of what happened, wasn't it? "The crew of the Dutchman took the heart back and they sent the Kraken to take down Will Turner to the locker. Say ye, was it a bad move from ol Davvy Jones or what?" Oh, oh, doughnuts! Will they finally let him enjoy his meal at last? Maybe if he makes one final, concluding statement, "so if there's a man who could stop Will Turner from destroying all pirates," (but not destroying me), "it'd be Bootstrap Bill Turner!"

"And where be this man?" Ammand asked.

"I don't know," Jack shrugged, devoting his full attention to the cashew nuts.

"Is there a magical spell to summon him as well?" Asked Hakim, the slave deserter, who had replaced his friend, Jocard in the council.

"Arghh, no!" Teague mumbled something again about how pirate lords don't know anything anymore, not even acknowledging the fact that Hakim was indeed the newest addition to their administrative body and as such had no time to even see the code before.

"If he was freed from the Dutchman, we need to send search parties to every port and vessel!" Proposed Mistress Ching.

"Including the Dutchman!" Sao Feng indicated the not so rosy prospect.

Chevalle smiled smugly, "the code says the council can appoint any member to be assigned any task." He pursed his lips in Hakim's direction, a newcomer was a very appropriate candidate to be press ganged into being sent into the enemy's mouth.

Sao Feng frowned, "we need someone who would be able to complete the assignment, besides everybody just making sure it's not them they are sent to the Dutchman."

Consequently, just as Jack suspected and hoped, a big argument broke out about who to send and how to find Bootstrap.

The captain gobbled up one more marzipan cake and weighed up his chances of making it over to Lizzie amongst the dense pirate numbers. Not without much difficulty and what for? Could they savor the moment in front of all those curious eyes? Oh, well, not a problem to solve that, not for Captain Jack Sparrow. He quickly grabbed a bottle of rum, gave Elizabeth a tilt of his head indicating his destination and made his way crouching down in between pirate legs and under the conference table.

Discussing matters heatedly, drawing swords, nobody except Teague had noticed that Elizabeth had also climbed under the table at the other side. The Keeper of the Code rolled his eyes. It was a standing tradition in the family for children to be born and conceived in the strangest circumstances. All those pirate lords at each other's throat, maybe he could make an exception, forget his duties for a moment and not interfere with the upheaval. Just in case things got a bit out of hand under there thanks to the couple's reunion...

Tbc


	19. Advantage

Chapter 12: Advantage

Advancing on all fours towards each other, Elizabeth stopped a few inches from Jack, just enjoying taking in his form for a little while before she touched him.

He also hesitated. Although his rational mind knew she wasn't another illusion, the eunuch would never give him the pleasure, he was still weary to make contact, fearing she would vanish under his fingers. But regardless of what he was doing, arms incased him desperately and with no warning, a pair of lips slammed onto his, shocking his muddled thoughts to a standstill. Used to embrace opportunities as they came however, it didn't take Jack long till he started to enjoy the moment and take over the kiss. He got rid of his hat to gain better access at her mouth, quivering chin, tear filled eyes and pulled her against himself.

His arms tight around her, his body heat warming her better than any gallantly offered coat could, his now rum filled breath tickling her cheek, it felt like those first warming rays of the Caribbean sun, after half a childhood spent in a gloomy, rainy England. The first time she wasn't chilled to the bone, the first time she really understood the meaning of being warm from the inside out. She relaxed against him, her deep sadness and agitation she felt since she'd last seen him starting to wash away with the tide, with each of his heartbeat she experienced with her fingers against his chest.

"I thought you died," she said when his hold on her slowly laxed and he sighed in relief. He knew Will'd not harm her, but he wasn't sure either if he'd ever see her again. 

"When?" Jack asked a bit confused. 

"Davvy Jones came and I saw you fade to dust." 

"Brazen death token!" Jack couldn't help, but curse Will in front of Lizzie. Seems like the experience he put her through was not all that much better then the treatment he got. "How could the eunuch hurt you with an illusion like that?" 

Elizabeth's eyes widened as the pieces snapped together in her mind like bits of a puzzle. "Evil..." She muttered. If Will turned that evil, she wasn't sure if there was away back for him. Not very comforting either that she had helped this new Will Turner come into being by refusing him.

Jack's brow furrowed and he took hold of her hand. Was he seeing things again? "You're wearing our engagement ring," he muttered dumbfounded. 

She looked away, embarrassed, but determined to get it off her chest, "when I thought you were gone forever..." She paused.

Knowing that looking at her would make her uncomfortable, he busied himself with his bottle. After all, the truth never came easy for her either.

"I didn't know how I could live without you," she finally decided for a confession. "I wanted to feel you close and I had no other way..."

"Well, the locker has the tendency to put things into perspective," Jack agreed. Going to the locker, the best idea ever to get Lizzie fully back to his side.

"Yes, it does. I kept thinking about what we didn't do together, for being to proud, for feeling guilty, for the sake of what others might think, for whatever reason. It's not worth it, Jack. Cause what you're left with at the end then is a whole lot of nothing," she turned in his arms and settled comfortably between his legs, leaning onto his upper body with her back, with his breath at her neck. It was going to be a more lengthy conversation and she wanted to feel him supporting her at least in a physical way, cause she wasn't sure at all what he was going to say. Asking Jack to be unpretentious was like asking the sun not to shine. "I admit, I had my part in us playing cat and mouse games, who dares more, how can I wind you round my finger without having to do much, tauting you to force you in certain directions, we are both good at that. Unfortunately. No more deceit Jack, there's enough of it around us anyway. We need something to hang on to, something that's certain in life and for that we have to be honest with each other. I will be honest with you from now on."

"I can see a need..." Jack nodded and guided her hand in between his legs to show for it. He got an aggravated slap to his thigh as a response and she let out a little growl. Wasting her time...still, just lying in his arms made up for it, didn't it.

Jack began nibbling at her neck and drove his tongue around her earlobe. "I will be honest with you too, Lizzie." He said softly, his hand tangled in her hair. He somehow found himself repeating those words and for that moment at least, he'd meant it.

She smiled and laughed at herself. Maybe witnesses were missing from their ceremony, but more importantly, they only just got through some proper wedding vows.

Their snuggle was momentarily interrupted by the strong voice of Captain Teague. Apparently, he was taking charge again. "If we are all there, Will Turner can't take all of us down. We just have to make a stand and fight. Call on yer weapons and prepare every vessel that floats! At dawn, we are at war!"

Jack pulled back a little, not sure how she'd react to the state of war being declared on Will, and that with all pirates working together. Which meant him. And as a pirate lord, her.

Tbc


	20. Under

Chapter 13: Under

However, Elizabeth didn't comment on the whole pirate species going after Will and despite, or because of her honesty vows, Jack winced uncomfortably, unseen by her. Running for your life from the Kraken and leaving Will there was one thing, going out your way to try to find and stab that black magic heart was another, even in his mind.

"Everything your father says, goes?" Elizabeth shook him back to the present, asking marveled as shuffling feet and the more and more silence around them meant the pirate lords were getting back to their ships.

"Eventually," Jack shrugged, "if ye can be bothered wiv the hassle of forcing them to do so."

"What does that make him? Some sort of king?"

"He's the one wiv the highest position amongst pirates, so, aye, I guess so."

"And what does that make you?"

"It makes me the pirate with the second most significant position, and more importantly, someone who's going to give ye the royal treatment tonight." If they were alone and not in a hurry till dawn, they better use the time to indulge in more pleasurable pasttimes then just sitting quietly. Maybe this time there will be no interruptions either! He started with stroking her arms, her sides, her shoulders and followed the way his hand had taken with kisses softly, a gentle and innocent expression of his love for her.

She let his mouth encourage her neck from the back to slowly turn to the side and towards him, their cheeks caressing each other. She slid down in his lap so that they could kiss, their tongues made love to each other first.

Jack groaned, he'd been ready a long time ago. It wasn't just the locker that denied him of such pleasures, but her reluctance before that as well, he was starting to feel as if he married her for nothing. That the lower side of his arms was touching her breasts through her virtually non existent clothing, didn't exactly help the scorching heat in his groins. He let her down onto the floor and leaned over her, savoringly tasted her lips again and began kneading at her inner thighs.

Elizabeth pushed that hand away. "Could somebody not come back? Does your father stay in this building?"

"Building? We're aboard a great shipwreck, luv. The Nanhai. Thought to have sunk on the Marine Silk Road, but of course it wasn't. No pirate could leave the biggest ship of its kind with laded wiv gold waist chain simply sink, could they?"

"I was talking about your father!" Elizabeth pressed the important matter, not really into the history of piracy at the moment. But of course Jack would never let an occasion of praising pirates pass without grabbing it.

Jack grunted. He had to convince her before they could make love, didn't he? He rolled out from under the table and jumped on it, then as quickly as he ventured out, he rolled back down the table and next to her, getting rid of his effects and coat with the same effort. "I jest saw his flagship, Johanna, heading towards Shipwreck City. Probably provisions," he assured her touching her face with the back of his hand. He moved a leg in between hers and started to spread hers apart by moving his knee closer to her pussy. He sucked in a breath, his whole being vibrating with anticipation. He pulled her nightie up and marveled at her bare breasts, then leaned down to kiss them, his breath starting to get a little uneven when his tongue wasn't sure which part to savor first in its greed to cover every inch of her body.

Elizabeth pulled him back using his dreadlocks, "we can't do this Jack. We're not married, remember?"

His mouth being removed from where it wanted to be, Jack now cupped her breast and rubbed his fingers around her pointy and hard nipples. There, it didn't seem to be any problem with her eagerness. She was still quite unexperienced though, he had to think about that. "Shhh, trust me, there's no rush, we'll go real slow this time." If he could stand it.

She closed her eyes at his touch, letting her head back with a dreamy look on her features. She wanted nothing more than to be with him. Yet, there could be no more deceit between them, she pondered as he started kissing her again, trying to work his way down to the same place he was interrupted at. If Jack wanted her, he'd have to go about it the right way. Marry her because he loves her and not because he wants to bed her. Her leg already in between his, she only had to move her knee a bit sideways to send him off herself with a yelp. She wasn't sure if she would've been strong enough to resist him if she tried a more gentler approach interrupting him.

Tbc


	21. No Zone

Chapter 14: No Zone

"What's wrong with you now?" Jack grumbled, flushed from being overexcited. He groaned and rubbed a hand over his groin area while continuing, "and more so, what's wrong with you and I together?" Then suddenly, his attention seemed to have diverted from her, he looked around, seemingly searching for something. Lizzie didn't want him all of a sudden after having been so happy to have him back, and what's more, his balls got kicked. What did that mean? Was he still in the locker and this was one of the eunuch's ways to make fun of him? Damn, all that illusionary food, he'll be so empty-bellied when his surroundings vanish. He was so taken by the not likely, but possible scenario, that he even forgot that he was temporarily feeling incapacitated by the treatment his genitals got. Would be illusionary, so who cares?

Elizabeth, very much present, sat up as well, a bit puzzled by his reaction. She expected him to argue with her, medicate himself drinking rum, even use some force a little. She winced instead of him when seeing his crouched posture, suggesting her defense measures were a bit more successful than intended. Yet all he seemed, was like a little boy when facing a big scary witch stepmother from fairytales. "What's wrong with you? You tell me. I mean more than usual."

Jack looked at her again, "are ye real?" He asked tentatively, but with a certain urgency in his undertone. His ringed fingers edged over to her thigh, grabbed the muscle and squeezed it, as if testing. "I need ye to be real."

Elizabeth covered his hand with hers, "am I real?" He took hold of his hand and brought it up to her face and looked him straight in the eyes as he caressed her soft cheek

It was warm, fitting into his palm perfectly as she tilted her head to enjoy the touch of his fingers. Way too pleasurable of an experience for Will Turner to give to him, so she had to be real. He brought his hand down and round her neck and back to hug her to his chest, as if this was the moment of their meeting again. Finally, he pulled the coat off her shoulders and lowered her down to the floorboards once more.

She lifted her head and grabbed onto his vest, forceful and determined, "no Jack, we're not married yet," she said loudly.

"Then I don't understand!" Jack sat back and held his head with both palms, firmly and desperately. He moaned long as a headache was starting to form. Maybe that was the point? He remembered the faint possibility that Will was maybe playing a game on his expense and the pain'd be a result of frustration and not weapons this time.

The disarray was very evident on his face, it was now Elizabeth's turn to watch him worriedly as he rubbed his forehead. He honestly didn't seem to be aware of the omission on their wedding day, he didn't look like a person who purposefully disregarded witnesses and taken advantage of her after lulling her into believing they were married. There you go, if someone lies, you'll always assume he lies. She took both of his hand in hers, pulling them away from his head. "Jack. One of the main elements of a wedlock, social recognition of the relationship was missing when you declared us married." Since the confusion didn't disappear from the pirate captain's face, only changed into a different kind of confusedness, she explained further, "witnesses Jack! We didn't have witnesses! Mister Gibbs popping in every so often and not exactly at the right moments doesn't count! Besides, I don't want our union just to be a spur of the moment decision, I'd like us both to really mean it!"

"No spur of the moment? Those are the best, luv," Jack opposed, referring more to him currently being cut off from his desert, rather then anything long term. He took a few deep breath withall, relieved. The locker, it wasn't, only the complicated matters filling the head of a wench.

"And we have more important things to do I think." Elizabeth continued.

"Like?!?"

"Will..."

His groan was audible, even if he didn't want it to be. He knew the mention of him was going to come, only not when.

"You were right about what you said regarding Will's father. He's probably the only one who could stop him. I do know where he is. Will told me he's gonna introduce me to his father and we were sailing in that direction, back to Glasgow, where they are from. But if the battle will start tomorrow, we'll have no time to get to him."

Jack contemplated this for a moment, then pulled her out from under the table and gathered up his effects. Elizabeth looked on, as to why was the rush all of a sudden.

"We need to catch the Johanna. Me father's ship is the fastest ship on the waters, since there's no Pearl."

"Even with the fastest ship, Scotland's months away," Elizabeth shrugged helpless, not understanding why she had to remind him of time and distance.

"We're not going to Glasgow. There are ways ye can talk to people who are not present, ways that are not talked about, ways that are feared so that those who are able to provide such miracles have to live cast away from the rest. Somebody like that lives in Damaraland. And yer going to go see her wiv Captain Teague."

tbc


	22. Persuasion Day

Chapter 14: Persuasion Day

The Gods on their side with the strong wind propelling them forward, Elizabeth considered herself a crew member on Teague's Johanna and busied herself accordingly. As they were in the middle of raising the mainsail higher, she used a perfect bowline to tie the halyard to the headboard and got on with taking part in freeing the sail ties. She was trying to make sure that Captain Teague, reinforcer of the code and anything else he felt fit, will not find her inadequate as a pirate, and most importantly, as a pirate's wife. She had respect for the old man, anybody who could keep order amongst rival lords would certainly go up in her estimation. And he did look good, she mused as she had to give herself a mental shake to look into some other direction than him. Her mind went far ahead, to a dream she never played out in her mind before, the way she'll see Jack standing by the helm roughly twenty, thirty years down the line, possessing some hidden strength felt by everyone around, a presence that drew attention and made your eyes sparkle with vigor just because you knew that you were in the company of someone who will be a significant force in your life. The many years spent by Teague up on deck and under the sun made Elizabeth undecided whether his skin would've originally been creole too as well, but it was a distinct possibility. His hair was darker a shade than Jack's and he seemed cleaner. Where could have that come from? She pondered. She gave him another good look in her ruminations. Tall, his clothes decorated with much more frill than those of most pirates and keeping his head up proudly, he had the constitution of a king. Was Jack meant to follow in his footsteps as leader? She never asked. She left Jack on one of Teague's other ships, the Centaur, that his father gave him to captain without a second thought.

Just as she suspected, that Edward Teague would be evaluating her to see if she was fit for her position, he was watching her every move right enough. Slightly steering the ship away from the eye of the wind without having to give it any conscious thought, he concentrated on her. The ladies had a tendency to favor Jack, despite his inclination to double cross or take advantage of them, they kept giving him second, third, and numerous chances. Whores, noble women, mermaids, even Tia Dalma, race was unimportant in this matter. But apart from his first flame, Arabella, Jack has never given any of them more consideration than a few hours' pleasure here and there.

It was surprise to see Jackie look at a woman with such soft, liquid naked eyes. Elizabeth was undeniably of a blue-blooded decent, she was beautiful, quick and smart and she had a personality with which nobody could put her down, it was written on her face, on the way she held the sword. Just like his own son, she was, in so many ways. Why did Jackie love her though? Any of those reasons or something else? Will she be his salvation in a life where he didn't hesitate to risk it all, or will she be his down fall? He had to test her, how much of a pirate she was, where did her allegiances lie. During such a short journey, there was not much time for plotting, but he could try his charms out on her. Not many dared to refuse the quasi pirate king, common folk, or pirates alike. What better way of getting to know somebody than trying to seduce her? Leaving the wheel to his first mate, he stopped in the early morning shadows behind her. She was coiling the loose lines to stop people tripping over them, obviously making herself useful at her own initiation.

"Did nobody show ye how to tidy up on a ship, lass?"

Despite having been startled, Elizabeth smiled to herself. It was a well known captain's tradition to show any newcomer the ropes, more literally, than figuratively, whether they were doing it right by themselves or not. It was more about bonding time, talking to your crew member.

"Start with the bitter end of the line in your hand," he demonstrated, "attach the other end to a sail. Lower the end in your hand," he passed it over to her to hold it, "onto the deck, and begin lowering the rope with a circular motion to create a coil. No, that's too big," he held her hands with the rope, stepping close to her side and circled the air with it.

Elizabeth jumped inwardly. This might've been all right between male crewmembers, but then again, he would never bother to demonstrate that closely if she was a man.

"We have to continue to lower the line into a coil till we run out of rope," he repeated the procedure.

He was doing it way too slowly! She opened her mouth to protest, but felt a bit confused to do so. Would Captain Teague try to seduce somebody who he thought was his own son's wife? She shook her head. Like father, like son. And no half measures either. All right, she could play that game well, it's not her who'd lose out in the end.

However slowly Teague was doing the coiling, the rope did run out a bit later. He stepped away, but not before running a couple of long fingers along her wind swept hair. "Ye need to be able to see out of yer face on a ship, at all times. It's either ye should be bald or make some dreadlocks, too. I'd prefer the latter, let us say. Even if yer hair's so very much like pretty silk long like that. It's impractical."

"Just because you throw some nice words into it, it doesn't mean it takes anything away from the criticism," she turned to look at the scenery standing by the railing and noted how close they were sailing to land. They must've really known these waters.

"Ye always take compliments this well?" He was right behind her, his long arms stretching out to the railing either side of her.

But she didn't try to get out of his grasp, and neither did she let him take anything from her she didn't want to give. She stilled her agitatedly breathing chest and turned around fast, glaring dead into his eyes from close. "Advice from a woman on how to approach one. Don't ruin everything by being too cocky."

"That's why I rule. So I don't have to make an effort wiv the wenches."

"May I remind you I'm serving your interests by trying to talk to a man called Bootstrap so that his son leaves your people alone?"

"Me people? Are ye no protecting yerself? Ye no part of me people?"

"At the moment," she emphasized.

"At the moment?" Trague was truly fazed and let his arms fall, which allowed her to slip out his reach. The answer was even more pirate-y than he'd expected.

"Till my interests serve so and not to return to England to my father's estate, a property to the amount of six thousand pounds sterling."

"What of yer husband?"

"I'd not stop Jack living a high society life with me if he wanted to."

Teague laughed, "just how ye imagine he'd fit?"

"Just how do you imagine trying to seduce your daugther in law? What are your intentions?"

"Now, now, what kind of scoundrel ye take me fe?"

"The man kind."

"Well said, lass." A deep, but female voice said.

Elizabeth turned to find herself facing a woman of a smaller stature and slighter build. She was beautiful by any standards, she had a youthful appearance, only the gray parts of her long black hair giving away her real age. Her dark eyes sparkled in the raising sun, in unison with her black-golden robe and the small cutlass at her waist. Her stance told of a history between them, her posture of a past that she had learned to conquer.

"I told ye we didn't have to go far," Teague asserted, "although ye intercepted us a little earlier than I expected," he addressed the woman, frowning, seemingly a bit bothered by the state of affairs. What? Captain Teague uncomfortable? He dangled over to her sheepishly and rushed to make the introductions. "Elizabeth, this be the witch we were seeking. Jackie's mother, Johanna Sparrow. Johanna me dear, this be Elizabeth Sparrow, our Jackie's lawfully wedded better half."

From the way those two looked at each other, he didn't have to worry about his position in the situation anymore, his existence was truly and well forgotten.

Tbc


	23. Withstand

Chapter 15: Withstand

Jack surveyed the scene from the stern of the Centaur. Their combined might of dozens of ships was blackening the horizon. Some white and graceful, some savage looking, nonetheless all pirates. And what were they up against? A sole ship called Flying Dutchman and its Kraken. Only problem was they couldn't shoot at the enemy. Will, cleverly, didn't surface and ordered the Kraken to attack from below too. Jack estimated that probably five of their ships was lost already and the pirates were not able to fire a single canon as yet. The main mast of the Flying Dutchman occasionally popped out the water for a moment, and a tentacle here and there, but not even as long as they could've taken aim. If it went like this, it was going to be a pointless massacre. He could see the Turks already breaking formation and he couldn't blame them for it. He'll have to order his crew to run away as well, or there will be annihilation and the pirate armada'll be gone as quickly as it had assembled.

"Captain Sparrow!" Yelled somebody from the crow's nest, but there wasn't much time to do anything else.

The ship inexplicably lurched strongly to the side in the open ocean and Jack had to hold on to the railing not to fall out.

"We've been targeted," panicked the quartermaster next to him, who in appearance reminded him of Barbossa, but obviously by the way he acted this one wasn't even worth that post he held, Jack had to wonder how he got himself elected.

"Get the canons ready!" Jack called as the water bubbled next to them and the sails of a ship became visible. Would be no wonder if Will'd want a face to face battle with him once he figured out which ship he was on, Jack had the privilege to snatch his ex fiance again. He couldn't let those guns Davvy Jones once been so proud of come up, he had to fire before that and damage the Flying Dutchman's masts, whatever little impairment'd that cause to an amphibious vessel like the ferryman's. There, a silhouette of a galleon amongst the waves below, dark sails, the top encrusted with barnacles. "Fire!"

They got the foretopsail and the topmast staysail all right, but that would not be enough to slow the Dutchman down too much. "Load the cannons!" Jack shouted, although the gunners were already on it. But...but...black hulls, no fanged mouth at the prow of the ship, ports not taking the forms of sea demons, no triple barreled chase guns. "Stop blowing holes in me ship!! Hold fire! Hold fire!" He knocked the gunpowder out of a gunner's hand, "nobody fires at me Pearl! Signal all vessels!"

"Captain!" Opposed Ashborn, the quartermaster, shaking like a leaf, "but that ship was raised from the depths, it was raised from Davvy Jones' locker! Surely be evil! The white flag of surrender'll be a sham!"

Jack, however, didn't ever hear him. He was busy climbing up the side of the ship, motioning some crewmembers to follow him and swinging himself over to the Pearl, right in front of the man he'd briefly met in the locker, Sam, a long term resident there as far as he could tell.

"We don't have much time for explanations," Sam welcomed him, "long story put as short as it can be is that Will Turner fancied your Pearl for quite a while. With the ship in the locker he had the possibility to transform it, use a lot of his energy to invest it with magical properties that make it an amphibian, just like the Flying Dutchman," Sam, the fiddler slurred as quickly as he could. "You have to thank the Kraken for bringing it up for us. I trust you'd be the best to use it in a fair fight against the Dutchman. The Kraken's in labor. We need to keep Will Turner busy till the babies are born."

"Stop blowing holes in me ship!" Jack repeated, turning back towards the Centaur. But his father's ship was quiet, especially as most of the gunners flew over to the Pearl, as he ordered them to do. They were facing the grim reaper figurehead of the Dutchman.

Tbc


	24. Skull To Skull

Chapter 16: Skull To Skull

Jack looked around on his ship. She still seemed the same, looked the same, yet she was supposed to be able to submerge, travel under water and come up at will? Just fill some parts with water and they would go down, that he could imagine, but what about the rest? That would've been how a mortal'd think and going about it like that was wrong in the situation. So how did you commandeer the new, improved (??) version of the Black Pearl? He ambled towards the helm and leaned a hand over it. The result was him banging his nose into it as it moved in some directions it hasn't before. The helm was all he needed to navigate under water. As the Pearl had no guns on the stern, a condition Will Turner hasn't changed about it either, Jack had no ways of shooting at the Dutchman the way they were situated. With the triple guns of the enemy turning, there was no time for coming about, or even a jibe. The only thing he could think of was testing his theory about the wheel. "Hold on!" Was his only order as he himself clutched the helm with both hands and tilted it all the way backwards to horizontal.

Even Sam was surprised at the speed the stern lifted out the water and bow first, they cut through the waves, submerging at a drop of a hat. Jack's hat, that remained floating on the surface.

Jack had just about opened his eyes in time to recognize they were close to the bottom of the sea and yanked the wheel again, a little more gently this time. Apparently it was very sensitive. It was only after that he realized he didn't need to hold his breath. For everyone on board, it was as if they were not under the water at all, advantages of a vessel, that was redesigned to the likeness of her pursuer.

"Dutchman's still coming on us from astern," Sam reported.

Just as he finished his sentence, canon balls were raining at them from behind, but thanks to the warning, Jack was ready and danced the Pearl in front like a fish would try to struggle its way out of danger. It was only his trial run, still, they didn't get many hits. "Nothing to worry about..." He reassured himself when he could finally take a breath as the the canons ran out the ammunition.

"Still stern to bow," Sam reported again anxiously, as if it needed reported.

Will was so close they could see him giving orders with renewed vigor, only made more furious by the lack of holes in the Black Pearl.

Jack caught a good glimpse of the ruler of the seas, the craze and anger of his movements reminded him of his time in the locker, surrounded by illusions. He almost stalled completely for a moment, the sight before him, as much of it as he could take out with the sun further and further away, was surreal. Submarine canyons, spider crabs, fin rays. Illusion or reality, either way, he wouldn't liked the Pearl destroyed, not even in an illusion. "We have to stop," Jack muttered, pulling his ship back to the bottom of the sea. "Put out all lanterns!" He ordered. It was dark under there and he could use one of the advantages of the black, charred Pearl, as he always did, without decks lamps for added stealth when they wanted to get close to a harbor or a ship undetected. "From now on, nobody move a lip." He looked back himself.

The Flying Dutchman was shimmering in a faint bluish light of its hulls in the dark waters, they didn't have the same advantage the Pearl had, pitch black. As yet, they were followed, but if only Jack could get a few moments advantage, they could disappear out of sight.

It took a while to shake them off, canon balls flied past his ears and a few of his sails got ripped, but as long as they remained submerged, he didn't need them. It was much too gloomful to see anything at all, they were risking to bump into an underwater mountain, but it wasn't as if they had a choice.

Jack more or less felt his way around, he ordered all remaining sails to be released completely and let run free. If they didn't knock into anything with them, rip them, he could tell there was a passage there. After a few bumps to the hull, no more was heard from below either, so Jack assumed there was a trench there and directed the Pearl downwards again, slowly, till they gently reached the bottom.

"We'll be like sitting ducks," Sam whispered a little dischuffed, he'd done enough of that over the last few decades down in the locker.

But nobody dared to oppose, they were ready to change the direction of their canons any time and fire. The menacing lights coming from the lamps and windows of the vessel doomed to sail forever, arranged in the pattern of a fanged mouth, was in sight now, glowing with a ghostly red light, the ship extending above them with its sails like a bird of prey. The Flying Dutchman swooped down onto the seabed right next to the Pearl as though she'd run them down, nearly colliding with her while still blind enough not to see her. Too close.

With mere inches between them, a sudden fire from the Pearl's thirty two twelve pound cannons would cause the destruction of the neighboring ship and the whelp'd certainly have to look for something else to ferry the souls with. Not his problem. But with the explosions and debris so near, could that not be the end of the Pearl as well? He should put to use the sweeps, those galley style oars Barbossa had installed, for once and move away a little.

Will leaned out, holding onto the railing and straining his eyes. Jack could've almost touched him as well. But what would that be good for? He didn't have the heart.

If at all possible, the eyes of the captain of the Flying Dutchman darkened even more, his grip hardened on the wood. In front of him, a school of fish turned suddenly. Nothing noteworthy, only some of them got caught in something as if a fishing net was there.

Realization hit Will, Jack could tell from the way the young captain reeled back a step. There was no time for oars, no choice in how they defended themselves. Not really believing what he was about to do, he rammed a cannon himself, sign to the others to copy his actions.

Tbc


	25. Point Of Origin

Chapter 17: Point Of Origin

Bootstrap Bill Turner couldn't say he very much understood what was going on. Not so long ago, he was Davvy Jones' prisoner and in the middle of becoming one with his ship to an extent he couldn't tell who was who, which side they were on, and couldn't even remember what he, himself done with only moments in between. Then all of a sudden he returned back to human form without much explanation and the son he thought was dead, having been taken down by the Kraken, dumped him on the West Coast of Scotland. Some of the rest of the crew remained bound to the doomed ship and Bootstrap didn't think that was a good sign either as to what the captain of the Flying Dutchman was. Once again, Bootstrap Bill Turner had trouble recognizing his son. The features were there, yet William was enveiled by some shadow of greyish green tentacles, thus far not there for everyone to see, but a man like Bootstrap, used to see the changes in men aboard the Dutchman could already imagine it happening a few months down the line. Now here he was, at the bottom of the ocean where Barbossa once sank him tying him to a cannon ball for standing up for Jack. Thanks to Johanna Sparrow this time, he was back at the same place. What was wrong with this family? Oh, well, there you go, a foremast with a sharp like jaw. Back to the Dutchman now as well, is it? But wait! Was it at the right angle? And what, or who were those charred shapes he could not identify? It was hard to put two and two together, how could the Dutchman be so severely damaged? But now that he knew what he was looking for, he could see that much of the hull had been torn away as well. What the hell was the meaning of this? Other than the aftermath of some big explosion. He rubbed his jaw nervously. And the blood floating, coloring the water? Who's was it? He almost tripped over some forms.

"Do you remember me?" Asked one of them.

It was Sam, from the locker. They met occasionally when the crew of the Dutchman was ordered by Davvy Jones to deposit someone there.

Bootstrap shook his head. He didn't understand anything. The world kept turning upside down and somebody had forgotten to keep him up to date. "Where's the captain?" Maybe Will'd explain some things to him this time. His eyes followed where Sam was pointing.

From the way the suckered tentacles were moving, it was hard to tell whether there were four or five of them. Cuttle fish like beasties with long tails, razor sharp teeth and large eyes. Krakens! Smaller than the one he'd seen before and summoned himself with the hammer on Davvy Jones' orders, but still the size of a well built person.

Bill Turner had no intentions to stay close by. However, he caught a glimpse of the man lying unconscious under the swarming chaos of squid body parts. Long brown hair, a touch of a mustache, clutching a knife that he'd probably tried to defend himself with. A blade Bootstrap Bill recognized as his own, it was the one he'd given to his son before he escaped from the Dutchman.

The small Kraken's suction disks, powerful enough to pull a human face to the point of leaving it with skin folds, layer-over-layer, were all over the man lying on deck. Yet William was unharmed by them. In fact, the Krakens floated off him and he seemed nothing more than asleep, with a smile on his soft, content face.

The krakens followed each other quickly, shooting off towards their mother. She rounded them up with a long tentacle and for a moment, they looked as one, slowly lulling themselves from one side to another in an undercurrent.

"The babies needed fed," Sam explained to Bootstrap. "And what is there more powerful to feed on than a black magic heart? It's done now, there's not an evil bone left in William Turner. He can be who the captain of the Dutchman's supposed to be, the ferryman, doing his duty, nothing more."

The big Kraken raised another tentacle as if waving at Sam, then showed the little ones the way under the damaged Pearl. She, herself, moved under the remains of the Flying Ducthman, and both ships started to be getting lifted out of the water.

"What of Jack Sparrow?" Bootstrap finally remembered how and by who's hand he ended up in this situation.

"I don't know," Sam shrugged, nodding his head towards a direction behind himself.

Bootstrap now noticed half of Jack's body peeking out from under some rubble, including the wheel. If he wasn't dead, he sure made a good impersonation of it.

Tbc


	26. Denomination

Chapter 18: Denomination

Elizabeth was rowing her jolly boat fast. Going against Captain Teague's direct orders she had left his flagship, intent on getting to the only thing she could see of Jack or the Pearl, at the sight where the pirate armada had gathered. Since Johanna Sparrow intercepted them, it didn't take much time till they could sail back and to the aid of the pirates against the Dutchman and the Kraken, but now that they were there she was frustrated she found she could do nothing. Nobody was attacking them, yet she was told Jack was gone to fight the enemy all by himself. The least she could do was rescue that hat.

So it happened that with her being out on the open waters in between ships, she was the first to register the rush from below her jolly boat. It unbalanced it and she found herself struggling for air as the waves generated by the large, dark object coming up washed over her. But she didn't have to try to keep her head above the water for long. She got pushed sideways by the current and next thing she knew she was sliding along a good distance on her stomach on the deck of some vessel.

"Are you all right?" It was an agile, rather embarrassed looking Will who helped her up.

She took in the surroundings. Could it have been the Pearl? Those who'd remained on the Centaur had told Teague that Jack's ship could be commandeered to submerge. She looked at Will with contemptuous amazement, then ran off in the direction where Bootstrap was trying to help Jack sit upright against him.

Jack waved her off as she rushed to his side and got hold of his hand, "don't ye yank me luv, those few broken ribs'd mind."

"It looked a lot worse down there in the dim light Jack, but then again, it always does," Bootstrap commented.

"No, no, no need," Jack stroke her cheek to encourage his young, wondrous, almost wife to be less worried about him, but it was the loving sparkle in his eyes that convinced her not to go over the top with her concerns. He couldn't be feeling so bad with that hint of lust that was usually present in his expression whenever they touched.

She radiated her joy over finding him, then sobered again as she remembered the situation with Will right behind her. She shoved her hair out the way to look back angrily at her former love. Although it confused her a little that he had walked off with his head down, she had plenty to make him responsible for.

Seeing that her fingers were twitching towards her cutlass, Jack got hold of her arm just in time and held her down on the deck next to himself. He was more groaning, than talking, "don't do anything stupid. Me head's dizzy a little, so Bootstrap here will fill ye in what happened."

"Can't show ye! You're no ogling the right way, lass," Bootstrap tried to divert her attention off Jack's shirt she was intending to remove to see if he was really as well as he said he was. Will wouldn't openly do anything against them while she was present and at the moment he didn't seem to be in the same reality as them anyway, he was gazing out to sea. The sea! Where basically a half Dutchman was carried by the Kraken! She finally noticed.

"That's what I was meaning," Bootstrap nodded in that direction, "we are also carried by krakens to the nearest port for repairs and, or else, rebuilding," he grinned. It was some sort of satisfaction to see the place of his worst nightmares in so many pieces. "No Dutchman or its captain will ever pose a threat to any being, living, or dead," he nodded to himself, then walked off to put a hand on his son's shoulder.

"Did convincing Will work so well for his father?" Elizabeth asked Jack confused.

"Bootstrap? Convincing? Anybody? No, me darling, the whelp was freed from all the accumulated deals Davvy Jones made with the devil. Can I explicate later? Find it hard to speak at the moment," he held his midsection and leaned his head on her shoulder.

"Where does it hurt?" She asked on a voice that as if had her pain in it too when she noticed how his frame trembled a little with each breath. If his ribs were broken, the simple action of breathing could've caused him difficulties. When he said he was all right she shouldn't have believed him.

Jack indicated the middle of his chest, then captured her roving hand as she tried to gingerly prod him, "I'm not fine right now..."

"Can you breathe?" She bent over him for a not very subtle once over.

"But I will be in a few minutes. To make some amends, William there said he'll do a favor for us. Will ye marry me with the whole pirate armada as witness if he performs the ceremony right here and now as he promised he would?"

tbc


	27. Featherbed

Chapter 19: Epilogue: Featherbed

Jack frowned. He wanted to make himself a bit more comfortable, snuggle closer to his wife, but found that the blankets were tangled around his legs. But then again why doesn't he just rest the way he's lying right now. Sorting out the covers would've meant moving at least some of his limbs, and that would've meant more pain searing through his midsection. His ribs were wrapped, but the pain would be with him still for at least a few weeks, he knew that from experience. He could've moved if he really wanted to of course, after all he had to convince Elizabeth every day he was well capable of going out to the head to relieve himself without her help, thank you very much and he surely would've been able to navigate, even trim the sails himself if he had to. Only that over the last few days he was so spoiled by her he got used to it. So much, he contemplated waking her up to sort the blankets, even if just to mock her. She was the one who said that he should call if he needed help. Would serve her right for caring so much for an undeserving pirate. But after a moment's thought, he shook his head no. She would be so tired after caring for his every need, physical, emotional or sensual.

They were on their way north to get Gibbs and the others. His injuries aside, he felt better than ever in his life. What more could've showed him her love than her bedside attitude? She had accepted him, his thirst for rum, his outlandishness, his unusual way of life and the ways he dealt with that. She loved him as he was, they shared joy in the same things. If that wasn't enough reason for him to love her, it was also because she kept nothing back, stood in front of him as she was, her bare soul presented to him. He knew her and he didn't have to spend years getting to know her, he knew her more than she did know herself. He loved her for the things she couldn't do cause she couldn't stand being restrained and for the things she could do that many other women didn't even dare to dream of. And lastly, probably a less important factor, but not negligible either, were her brown eyes that hypnotized him just with one glance and he was lost to her will, ready for the sacrifices she called for. If she stood by the helm, he could watch her for hours and didn't even wish to take the wheel off her. He was busy with other types of steering anyway, imagining his palm slide down her sides, teasing her and to her front and to the curvy warmth between her legs that has never been anybody else's, but his. He laughed at himself a little, without aggravating his side. He used to say that marriage was like a wager to see who will fall out of love first, but he couldn't imagine ever falling out of love with her.

Nobody would or could take the keeper's daughter in law, all pirates were demonstrated how he and Elizabeth belonged to each other. With the wedding up at the crow's nest in front of the armada, it couldn't be more clear. Now he was a married man and for Lizzie's sake, maybe he could take advantage of the privileges that came with being the son of the Keeper of the Code. Did he have anything else to prove to himself or his father, adventuring all by himself on nothing, but a name? She had her to watch over for now. Just as she wanted it, all legal and bounding.

Then a dreadful thought occurred to him as he remembered Will's words. He wedded them in the name of the power entrusted in sea captains by the new colonies. The new colonies and their family law where if the woman did not become pregnant within one year, the marriage was considered annulled ab initio!

Eunuch, eunuch, was that on purpose? A special joke, a eunuch word play perhaps?

The End.


End file.
